Lando Norris urges Oscar Piastri ‘do a better job’ in warning to McLaren at Sao Paulo Grand Prix

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Lando Norris has now urged Oscar Piastri to ‘do a better job’ whilst firing a warning to McLaren over the constructors’ championship fight before the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

The Woking natives lead the teams’ standings heading into this weekend’s race in Brazil. But a run of results in favour of Ferrari have seen the Scuderia shoot above Red Bull and emerge as the threat for McLaren as the papaya outfit chase their first constructors’ title since 1998.

Ferrari have also failed to win the constructors’ championship since 2008 when they sealed it at the Brazilian Grand Prix and at McLaren’s expense. But Lewis Hamilton still edged Felipe Massa to that year’s drivers’ title in Sao Paulo, despite the Brazilian winning his home round.

Lando Norris urges Oscar Piastri and McLaren to ‘do a better job’ to hold off Ferrari’s rise

McLaren have not won in Sao Paulo since Jenson Button stood atop the podium at the 2012 Brazilian GP. The race became the Sao Paulo GP for 2021 as the local government increased its financial support to ensure Formula 1’s Brazilian round did not relocate to Rio de Janeiro.

Ferrari even last won in Sao Paulo when Sebastian Vettel beat Valtteri Bottas of Mercedes to win the 2017 Brazilian GP. Charles Leclerc or Carlos Sainz denying Norris or Piastri the win at this weekend’s Sao Paulo GP could also see Ferrari eat into their 29-point deficit to McLaren.

READ MORE: The most successful F1 drivers at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix and ever in Brazil

Norris is well aware of the threat that Ferrari pose as McLaren always expected the Scuderia to end the 2024 season strongly and exceed Red Bull. So, he has told Piastri and McLaren to step up as Norris states they need both cars to finish in front of the Ferraris starting in Brazil.

“Ferrari have been our biggest competitor for nine or 10 races,” Norris stated in his pre-race press duties on Thursday. “We knew that at the end of the year we would be fighting against them, not against Red Bull.

“I think we had a few unlucky weekends both on my side and on Oscar’s side. We have to do a better job and, above all in the future, we have to have two cars in front every weekend if we want to keep them behind us.”

Oscar Piastri knows his recent results have not been good enough for McLaren

Norris has told Piastri and McLaren to ‘do a better job’ ahead of the 2024 Sao Paulo GP after seeing Ferrari outscore the Woking natives by 46 points in the past two rounds alone. Piastri has also let his team down over the past two rounds with P5 in Austin and P8 in Mexico City.

READ MORE: The most successful F1 teams and engine manufacturers at the Sao Paulo GP

McLaren have scored 50 points since Norris’ dominant win at the Singapore Grand Prix prior to the autumn break. Ferrari, meanwhile, took 96 points across the United States Grand Prix and the Mexico City Grand Prix, where Sainz won ahead of Norris with Leclerc sealing third.

Piastri knows his results, especially in qualifying, have not been good enough with Norris in the sister McLaren car securing P4 in Austin and P2 in Mexico City. The Australian bowed out of qualifying for the Mexico City GP in Q1 to also set his worst result of the campaign in P17.