What Norris must do to wrestle the momentum back from Piastri

On Saturday evening, after qualifying for the Bahrain Grand Prix, Lando Norris conceded he needs a "big reset". He's right.

Having just qualified a lowly sixth, in a car that really ought to have been on the front row, the British driver cut a despondent figure, castigating himself for a job badly done.

"I've been off it all weekend. Don't know why, just clueless on track at the minute," he lamented. It was a simple case of failing to execute.

Whilst the McLaren driver recovered to third in the race, it was an undisciplined performance. He should have finished second - and he knows it.

"P2 was the best we could have achieved – so we should have achieved it. But we didn’t – and I didn’t, because of some mistakes," Norris admitted.

Throughout the round, he spoke of not being "comfortable" in the MCL39, of how things were not "clicking" for him.

It's a curious case, given how much Oscar Piastri is enjoying life in the McLaren, which at this stage of the season is undeniably the quickest car on the grid.

The momentum swing

His team-mate sent an imperious message in practice with a lap almost seven-tenths of a second faster than Norris could manage, which he followed up with pole, fastest lap and a commanding victory.

To make matters worse, it was the Australian's best weekend of his young F1 career, demolishing all before him - or, more appropriately, all behind him.

After their shared disappointment in Japan and a grand prix left wanting, Piastri leaves Bahrain just three points behind his more experienced team-mate and with the momentum squarely in his court.

As they head to Saudi Arabia, the current triple-header is at risk of getting away from Norris, if it hasn't already.

Emulating Verstappen

But Norris has to find something, because the weekend in Sakhir was not his first messy, underwhelming one of the season.

Throughout the Chinese Grand Prix, Piastri was quicker, more collected, and better able to put it all together when the chips were down. His team-mate could not compete.

There have been rounds where the Briton has had the measure of the 24-year-old, yes, but since the start of the year, Piastri has been right there when that has been the case. It is difficult to say the same of Norris.

However, claims this championship is now the Australian's to lose are overblown. Not only is there a long way to go, his mistakes will come, and already have, as we saw in Melbourne.

The errors will happen for them both, so managing pace deficits, as and when they occur, will be key. Norris needs to calm it down, channel Max Verstappen and maximise when he isn't quick enough to beat Piastri.

Hanging in a delicate balance

That said, Norris finds himself in a precarious position. Whilst heading straight into a race weekend is a benefit, akin to getting straight back on the horse, it will be difficult to immediately achieve the "reset" he desires - and requires.

And another round like the five-time grand prix winner endured in Bahrain and Piastri will be well-positioned, and well-poised, to completely seize the impetus in the title fight.

Norris will be best served getting into Jeddah, putting together a considered, damage-limiting weekend, and getting out again to the breathing space afforded by the gap to Miami. Live to fight another day.

That might mean only P2 - and that could hand Piastri a four-point advantage in the driver's championship, if he wins - but Norris would have minimised the hurt and stayed comfortably within touching distance.

From there, he will have the time to attain the fresh start he needs, which will begin at the scene of his first grand prix victory.

He knows how to win in Florida, and doing so would take back control of the championship picture, no matter where his team-mate finishes.