Ralf Schumacher ‘can tell’ Oscar Piastri is not being fully honest about Lando Norris relationship

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Lando Norris leads Oscar Piastri at the top of the 2025 F1 drivers’ championship with three rounds to go, as the McLaren racers both look to win the title for the first time.

The 2025 F1 season could go down as the year of McLaren, as the Woking crew look to seal a championship double for the first time since 1998. Norris and Piastri have already ensured that McLaren retained the constructors’ title, and are now the favourites for the drivers’ title.

Norris holds a 24-point lead over Piastri atop the standings after outscoring his teammate in each of the past six rounds. The 26-year-old also boasts a 49-point lead over Red Bull’s Max Verstappen in third place, after he enjoyed the perfect weekend at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

While Piastri crashed out of the Brazil Sprint and only managed P5 in the main race after he drew a controversial time penalty, Norris won the Brazil Sprint and Sao Paulo GP from pole. It marked Piastri’s third P5 finish in a row amid his run of five Grands Prix without any podiums.

Ralf Schumacher can see that Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are not ‘on the best of terms’

Tensions have appeared to build in the McLaren garage during recent rounds, as well. Norris angered Piastri after he made contact in Singapore, having banged wheels with the 24-year-old when taking P3 on Lap 1. They also made contact at the start of the F1 Sprint in America.

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

Piastri crashed into Norris in the COTA Sprint whilst trying an ambitious cutback at the start. Yet despite recent events, including McLaren ordering Piastri to give back P2 to Norris in the Italian Grand Prix, the Australian has tried to play down any claims about there being a rift.

Recently, Piastri stated that his relationship with Norris is “better” than ever, as 2025 is their third year as teammates and what happens on a track stays on a track. But Ralf Schumacher feels he can see that Norris and Piastri’s relationship is far from perfect amid their title fight.

Schumacher told Sky Germany: “The McLaren drivers aren’t exactly on the best of terms at the moment. You can tell. Of course, everyone’s fighting for the world championship now, and nobody wants to let it slip away. The two of them could easily collide in a corner.”

McLaren are likely more to blame for Oscar Piastri’s worsening mood than Lando Norris

Piastri was increasingly looking like he would be the champion-elect after he took a 34-point lead over Norris atop the 2025 F1 drivers’ championship after winning the Dutch Grand Prix. Norris retired from second place at Zandvoort, yet he has been the in-form papaya pal since.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from parents to celebration

The six rounds since F1 visited the Netherlands have seen Piastri crash out of the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, struggle to forget Norris making contact in Singapore, crash in the COTA Sprint, struggle for pace in Mexico, crash in the Brazil Sprint and cause a crash in the Sao Paulo GP.

Now, Norris is seemingly the new champion-elect ahead of the final three Grands Prix in Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi plus the Lusail Sprint. But any tension in the McLaren garage for Piastri is unlikely due to his recent wobble or the potential of any rift developing with Norris.

Instead, McLaren damaged Piastri’s confidence after blaming him for crashing into Norris in the COTA Sprint. His confidence had already started to waver as McLaren imposed sporting repercussions on Norris after their crash in Singapore, which the COTA Sprint then removed.