Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, opposite realities at McLaren

The Englishman is at a high level, winning in Mexico and reaching the top of F1. The Australian, on the other hand, has added little in recent events and is in decline.

In Formula 1, the protocols and schedules are strictly followed. Thursdays are the days of attention to the press by the drivers and those who are not part of the sextet that participates in the usual press conference must go to the corralito. In Interlagos, home of the San Pablo GP, it is set up at the end of the paddock, towards the side of the last curve of the track. The McLaren drivers are summoned there. 2:50 p.m. is Lando Norris’ time and, ten minutes later, Oscar Piastri’s time.

The faces of Norris and Piastri sentence the moment of the championship. One is up and positioned as the top candidate for the title, although he prefers to throw the ball outside. The other saw how all the advantage he had crumbled and walks with a changed step, almost lost.

Numbers. In the last five Grand Prix, Norris has added 82 points and arrives at the San Pablo GP after an overwhelming victory in Mexico and as the new leader of the tournament, with one unit ahead of the disgraced Australian. Piastri barely scored 47 in those same five dates and his lead, which was 34 points, collapsed, along with the performance of your MCL39. In that context they arrived in Brazil, with the shadow of Max Verstasppen getting closer, he is 36.

Norris arrives at the playpen accompanied by a McLaren press woman. In addition to confessing that he is a Palmeiras fan, that he could not go to the game this Friday night against Santos “because it is too late” and that he has a great relationship with Abel Ferreria, leaving football aside, questions about the fight for the title come from the media, among which is AM850.com. Lando doesn’t want anything to do with risking talking about being a champion. Sure, he recognizes a logical “I want to win it,” but he doesn’t go any further.

“Nothing changed for being the leader of the championship. The expectations for this race are the same as always, to be fast and ride well,” he said. Regarding his overwhelming experience in Mexico and the enormous difference he made over Piastri, he said: “I don’t know why it happened. We have to talk to my engineers.” In the comparison with his title chance last year, he said that “it was different, because there I was fighting with Max Verstappen and he was running from behind. Now my teammate is there and there is a point, it is different.” And there was no more. Barely five minutes had passed and there were no more questions for the World Cup leader.

At the exit of the playpen, they meet Norris and Piastri, who was entering to give his answers. Although the Melbourne driver’s face hardly ever gives a clue about his state of mind, he seems doubtful. The difference that he suddenly lost with his partner is striking. In Mexico he was fifth, 42 seconds behind Norris. “No, it’s not like that,” was his first response when asked if it was sabotage. “I think the last two weekends were more complicated, but we have pretty clear answers as to why that is. There really aren’t too many mysteries.”

“After Mexico we worked a lot to understand the reasons why Norris gained such an advantage,” said the Australian, who now became the pursuer by giving up the lead at Hermanos Rodríguez. “I don’t think the situation will change much. My mentality throughout the year was to try to have the best weekends possible and be as fast as possible.”

And there wasn’t much more. The McLaren press woman accompanying the Australian did not allow any more questions to be asked, showing the watch. Oscar leaves, amidst the grumbling of some journalists who had been wanting to ask something else. The race in Brazil could be a turning point in the fight for the title between the McLaren drivers. And they should not be neglected because a certain Max Verstappen is walking around nearby. To make matters worse, rain is predicted for the weekend. In fact, at 4 p.m. it started to rain in Interlagos, perhaps an omen for the rest of the days. If that happens, the Dutchman’s shadow will grow even more.