Lando Norris must learn from Oscar Piastri’s ‘killer instinct’ to solve bigger problem than Canadian Grand Prix crash

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Lando Norris shot himself in the foot by crashing into Oscar Piastri in the Canadian Grand Prix, but the McLaren driver’s problems were greater than the one incident.

The McLaren teammates coming together on Lap 66 of 70 in the Canadian GP was the major talking point in Montreal. Norris misjudged his chance to overtake Piastri for fourth place, as the Briton ran into the Australian as he did not realise there was no room on the pit straight.

Piastri had already drifted over to cover the inside line for Turn 1 when Norris sought to pass the 24-year-old. But the 25-year-old was too committed to back off and McLaren saw Norris retire on the spot, while slipping to 22 points behind Piastri in the F1 drivers’ championship.

Lando Norris must stop making mistakes in qualifying like at the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix

Norris crashing into Piastri in the Canadian GP may now see Montreal prove to be a decisive round in their drivers’ championship fight. There might still be 14 more rounds to run in the 2025 F1 season, but Piastri continues to secure more control at McLaren as Norris stumbles.

It had looked like the Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve would be a happier hunting ground for Norris through practice, having had Piastri covered for pace. But the Briton’s blunders in qualifying persisted, as Norris would only manage P7 despite leading in Q1 and finishing second in Q2.

READ MORE: Every error that cost Lando Norris points in his failed 2024 F1 title challenge

The pressure of fighting for his first Formula 1 title seems to strike too often during Q3 with Norris this season, and it happened again at the Canadian GP. Despite his promising pace in the prior sessions, the Briton crumbled with mistakes on both of his flying laps in Montreal.

Norris chose to use McLaren’s upgraded suspension in Canada, unlike Piastri who wanted to maintain the consistency he felt with their older geometry. But McLaren’s update would not stop Norris from going straight on at the final chicane and hitting the Turn 7 wall during Q3.

Lando Norris should learn from how Oscar Piastri toyed with him in qualifying in Bahrain

The Canadian GP even marks the third time this year that Norris has been faster than Piastri in every session until it matters in Q3 after the Chinese Grand Prix and Saudi Arabian GP. But it is Piastri’s performance to get pole position at the Bahrain GP that Norris must learn from.

Like in Canada, Norris admitted he made ‘too many mistakes’ in qualifying as Piastri got and converted his first F1 pole to win the Chinese GP in March. It has been a constant theme, as Norris called himself ‘clueless’ after qualifying P6 for the Bahrain GP while Piastri took pole.

Piastri reminded Karun Chandhok of Alain Prost with his Bahrain GP pole lap, as well, having been ‘silky smooth’ around the Sakhir track. Yet it was the ‘killer instinct’ that Piastri showed at Norris’ expense in the desert that the Briton has to now learn from the Melbourne native.

Piastri’s ice-cool approach has often been lauded this year but has not been on display more so than in qualifying for the Bahrain GP. He led Norris out of the pit lane in Q3, but, unlike his teammate, he did not act instantly when McLaren ordered them both to increase their pace.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Oscar Piastri’s life outside F1 from height to girlfriend

McLaren feared Piastri and Norris’ front tyres would not be up to temperature for the start of their last flying laps. Yet Piastri held off on increasing his pace until Norris ultimately had to back off to build a gap, which meant his tyres were too cool by the time he arrived at Turn 1.

By delaying building his pace until Norris had to back off to avoid running in his teammate’s dirty air, Piastri effectively ruined the 25-year-old’s hopes for fighting for pole position. The Briton got a lot of understeer at Turn 1 and he would, ultimately, only qualify in sixth place.

On the other hand, Piastri was disappointed to score pole for the Bahrain GP by just 0.168s to Mercedes star George Russell. It was more than enough to help the Australian dominate in the desert, though, as Piastri won by 15.499s to Russell and by 16.273s over Norris in third.