One McLaren driver will push the other out, F1 CEO predicts

Jul.26 (GMM)  Oscar Piastri is tightening his grip on the 2025 world championship after dismantling McLaren teammate Lando Norris in Friday's running at Spa.

The 24-year-old Australian topped both the sole practice session and sprint qualifying, with Auto Motor und Sport remarking that Piastri had "dismantled Norris" in Belgium so far. It marks a strong comeback following the controversial FIA penalty that cost him victory at Silverstone.

Norris, meanwhile, is recovering from a bizarre post-race injury sustained after his British GP win. As he turned to show his trophy to fans behind the pitwall, a cameraman slipped and struck him square on the nose with a TV camera, leaving the Brit bloodied and requiring stitches.

It marked Norris' second nose injury in two years, after cutting the same area with broken glass while partying in Amsterdam during King's Day in 2024.

"This time my nose was repaired more professionally than back then," Norris joked, according to Formule 1 magazine from the Netherlands. "But both incidents are great memories for me. So when I look in the mirror and want to think of something great, I just look at my nose. That's a good thing."

Despite the humour, Norris acknowledged Piastri appears more naturally comfortable with the 2025 McLaren.

"Do I feel more confident that I can produce more performances like that? Yes," said Norris. "Do I feel as good as last season and am I performing consistently at the same level? I still don't think so."

"I feel more of a threat now to Oscar, yes," Norris added. "But where I am now, where the car is, and how I handle the car, it's still not at the level I want."

With Max Verstappen no longer a realistic title contender, the McLaren pair are now locked in a head-to-head battle for the championship. While the team has maintained a stance of driver equality, mounting pressure has raised questions about whether that approach can last.

F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, who once led Ferrari during its number-one driver era, believes the dynamic between Piastri and Norris could soon become combustible.

Asked by Corriere della Sera if the Piastri-Norris relationship is a "soft duel", Domenicali replied: "Yes, but sooner or later one will push the other out."

"McLaren is preparing for that moment. Letting them race isn't for everyone. I say this because I've been there - when I was in that role, I didn't do it that way."

"McLaren also teaches us that in difficult times, you shouldn't despair. If you have the right people and tools, things change quickly."]]>