Norris rejects needing ‘luck’ to beat Piastri for F1 crown

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Lando Norris remains steadfast in his pursuit of the 2025 Formula 1 drivers’ championship, insisting he can overtake McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri without needing misfortune to strike the Australian.

The British driver’s resolve comes despite a costly retirement at last week’s Dutch Grand Prix, which widened Piastri’s lead to 34 points in the standings.

However, with nine race weekends left, Norris is confident he can close the gap to Piastri through skill and determination alone.

"I can still win the championship without anything happening and that's the way I wish to do it," Norris insisted, speaking ahead of this weekend’s Italian Grand Prix.

"It would certainly make my life easier if there were just some more drivers in between every now and then.

"The thing is, we're so dominant as a team that it almost makes my life harder. So, that's really the most frustrating part of it all."

May the Best Driver Win

Norris was quick to stress he has no desire to see bad luck swing the pendulum against his teammate. His competitive ethos is clear: he wants to win on merit.

"No, because in the end, if he's done a better job, I give credit to him and I say he's done a better job," he said.

"That's just how I am. I don't wish it [upon him].

“I was unlucky last weekend and that’s life. It happens. It might get to the end of the year and nothing else happens.

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“If I lose the championship by the amount of points that I lost at the weekend then that’s tough, that’s life and I will move on. And I will come back again next year and try to do better.

"I don’t wish for bad luck for anyone else. I don’t believe in those kinds of things.

"May the best driver win, and if that's the case at the end of the season then I'll respect that."

No Change in Approach

Despite the points deficit, Norris sees no need to alter his strategy as the season heads toward its climax in Abu Dhabi. Pundits have suggested that the gap might reduce pressure, allowing him to race more freely, but Norris dismissed the notion of changing his mindset.

“I don’t need to change anything. I mean every weekend I am trying to win, I don’t need to change that,” he added.

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He also highlighted the mutual respect in their on-track battles.

“I think if there are those situations where we have to race no one’s going to make it easy for one another. Oscar for me or me for Oscar.

“He’s still my teammate at the end of the day and we still have to respect each other a lot. I think we always race each other well, on the limit.”

With McLaren’s stranglehold on the grid leaving the pair to sort the championship between themselves, Norris insists the fight will come down not to luck, but to execution – and he’s not ready to concede anything yet.

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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.