Norris: Piastri 'making my life tough' but McLaren benefitting

©McLaren

Lando Norris admits that his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri is making his life tough, but insists he's a better driver thanks to the young Aussie, while his team is also benefitting from the push.

Norris and Piastri celebrated their best collective result with McLaren last weekend at Silverstone where the pair finished respectively second and fourth.

Piastri was beaten to the final spot on the podium by Lewis Hamilton who benefitted from a free pitstop under the Safety Car while the McLaren rookie had completed his stop just a few laps before the race's neutralization.

"Honestly, we should have had P2 and P3," said Norris after the event.

"Oscar did an amazing job all weekend, and he should have been P3 today without the Safety Car.

Read also: Norris reveals area where McLaren car remains 'pretty terrible'

"So it’s a shame he’s not sat here too, but he’ll have his chance.

"He’s driving very well. He’s doing a very good job. And if we can improve the car a little bit more, we can be here a lot more often. And I’m sure he’s going to have his fair few times of being here, too."

©McLaren

Norris was the sole recipient of McLaren's upgrade package in Austria, but at Silverstone, the changes were also implemented on Piastri's MCL30 which helped boost the Aussie's performance.

"He’s been on top form all weekend," added Norris. "He’s been pushing me an insane amount, which is a good thing. It’s raised the level of what we do as a team."

Piastri's result in the British Grand Prix, which followed a remarkable P3 in qualifying, was a career best in F1 for the 22-year-old. But Norris emphasized how his teammate's performance has been strong from the outset of McLaren's 2023 campaign.

"All year he’s been good," said the Briton. "It’s not like he’s just turned up here and been strong. He’s been good since day one in the car and makes my life tough sometimes.

"I don’t always like it, but it’s a good thing at the end of the day, and it makes me a better driver, too."

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Phillip van Osten

Motor racing was a backdrop from the outset in Phillip van Osten's life. Born in Southern California, Phillip grew up with the sights and sounds of fast cars thanks to his father, Dick van Osten, an editor and writer for Auto Speed and Sport and Motor Trend. Phillip's passion for racing grew even more when his family moved to Europe and he became acquainted with the extraordinary world of Grand Prix racing. He was an early contributor to the monthly French F1i Magazine, often providing a historic or business perspective on Formula 1's affairs. In 2012, he co-authored along with fellow journalist Pierre Van Vliet the English-language adaptation of a limited edition book devoted to the great Belgian driver Jacky Ickx. He also authored "The American Legacy in Formula 1", a book which recounts the trials and tribulations of American drivers in Grand Prix racing. Phillip is also a commentator for Belgian broadcaster Be.TV for the US Indycar series.