Zak Brown just gave Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri the perfect advice to deal with Max Verstappen

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With three races to go, McLaren’s drivers shouldn’t have to worry too much about a Max Verstappen title charge in 2025.

At one stage, it looked like the impossible drivers’ championship comeback was on. A few shaky sessions by Verstappen later, and things have opened up.

Lando Norris has been excellent too, and deserves to be in command of the situation, but he and McLaren will be aware that the job is far from done.

Of everyone involved, Oscar Piastri has lost the most ground recently and is on the back foot. He needs a big result soon, or his hopes will fade very quickly.

Mark Webber must ‘guide’ Piastri through his tricky spell, and make sure that he still has a chance at the season-finale in Abu Dhabi.

Norris has ‘found a way’ to avoid Piastri’s fate throughout the season, and is now in the best position to secure his maiden crown. In just a few weeks, fans will find out.

READ MORE: Oscar Piastri’s McLaren escape route is ‘crystal clear’ if he decides to switch Formula 1 teams

Zak Brown’s ‘only way’ advice is perfect for Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri against Max Verstappen

Gabriel Bortoleto sees why McLaren may favour Norris and thinks that it’s logical, given how much longer he has been at the team.

Being involved in the battle at the end of 2024 has been helpful, with Norris finding the 2025 title fight ‘easier’ due to his experience.

But team boss Zak Brown has given his drivers some advice about battling the formidable Verstappen, which is perfect, given their situation.

He has reminded his drivers that they can only ‘beat themselves’ in the fight against Red Bull, given their advantage heading into the final few rounds.

“I think with that, you know, and this is conversations we’ve had with Oscar and Lando,” he said on the High Performance Podcast. “Just keep doing what you’re doing. The only way he beats us is if we beat ourselves.

“We’ve got the car, we’ve got the drivers, we’ve got the team. So does he, but he’s 35, 36 points behind us [pre-Brazil]. If we just all run our races, I think he’ll have a hard time.

“If we wipe each other out, he’s coming right through the front door, right? 25 points for a win, you go have a bad Brazil, he wins, it’s a different ball game. We want to look forward and play offense.”

READ MORE: Oscar Piastri gives surprising answer when asked how his relationship with Lando Norris has changed

Why have things fallen apart for Oscar Piastri at McLaren in 2025?

After winning four of the first six races in 2025, Piastri has won just three times in 15 events since. His form has tailed off, while his car maintains an advantage.

Piastri knows McLaren face an ‘impossible’ issue, and that keeping both drivers happy beyond December will not be manageable. Someone will be a loser.

But no podiums in five races is form that desperately needs to be turned around. The mistakes the Aussie has made recently must be eradicated.

Piastri’s McLaren data that could silence Andrea Stella after Toto Wolff spotted his rapid pace at the end of the Brazilian Grand Prix. Now, he needs to replicate it.