🔗 Share this article

Were it not already an intense heatwave in Singapore, the increasing intensity of this year's Formula One title fight would be sufficient to make all but the most stoic driver wilt. Handling the stress may determine the deciding factor between the team's Lando Norris and Piastri as the championship contest ratchets up with every race.

This Title Fight Is Extremely Close

Starting with this round's meeting in Marina Bay, seven races remain and the title race is extremely tight. Piastri leads his teammate by twenty-five points. Both are free to race each other and with the Red Bull driver still a significant sixty-nine points behind, it is a direct battle, with very little separating between them.

Learning from Past Winners

F1's most experienced and accomplished drivers know this scenario very clearly. In 2007, when Hamilton just failed to win winning the title in the final race at Interlagos in his debut season, it taught him the distinct pressure of a championship fight.

“I recall the lead-up to those races at the conclusion and the pressure was present,” he said. “That was unnecessary. If I knew then what I understand today, I would have easily won that title, I think. I've realized to avoid adding stress that’s unneeded.”

Step Into the Cauldron

Welcome then, Norris and Piastri, to the intense environment. The upper hand so far has swung between them. Norris has five wins to Piastri's seven and the duo have barely been off the podium in a McLaren that has been the class of the field. The Australian has been more consistent, with his British rival finding it hard to adjust to a lack of feel for grip from the front axle. Nonetheless, they have dominated, the difference separating them often only who could perform perfectly, across qualifying and the grand prix.

Costly Errors for Norris

In this regard Norris has been lacking, minor mistakes were damaging in Shanghai, especially after a poor qualifying in Bahrain and even more troubling when surrendering the championship lead after crashing out in qualifying in Jeddah. Then, most critically, over-eager in Canada he hit his partner and went out, an massive setback.

Piastri's Consistency and Small Errors

The young driver, especially in only his third season in F1, has been more comfortable. For a while spinning out at the first race in the rain in Albert Park was his only fault and one which was excusable in the sudden rain. Subsequently, the Australian was also overtaken and surpassed by an alert Verstappen at Imola, while his misjudgment and penalty for “erratic braking” under the safety car at the British Grand Prix denied him a probable victory.

Latest Difficulties in Azerbaijan

However, these were minor hiccups against something of a debacle at the last round in Baku. In Baku, Piastri hit the wall in qualifying leaving him in ninth position, only to compound it with a false start, the car going into anti-stall and sending him to the rear of the pack.

Trying to gain positions on the opening lap, he misjudged the traction and finished in the wall, an uncharacteristic series of mistakes that he admitted he could ill afford in this weekend's race.

“Baku was a strong lesson of how quickly everything can turn around,” he said. “There are takeaways about how I can deal with that more effectively and insights on risk I suppose is the most accurate description to put it. There's nothing revolutionary that needs to change or that I am going to adjust.”

Gaining from History

The pair are, for all their talent, still honing their abilities in F1, a journey well trodden by other drivers on the grid. The opening years of Lewis's career were outstanding, but he also made his share of mistakes. Piastri could take note of Bahrain in 2008, the year the multiple title winner won his maiden championship but which was characterized by additional errors as he found himself in an close battle with his Ferrari rival.

On the grid in Bahrain he had failed to properly configure the launch control on his car and it went into anti-stall, relegating him down the grid. Shortly afterwards, chasing positions, he touched the back of Fernando Alonso's car and had to pit with a broken front wing. He came 13th after a race he described as “a catastrophe”.

Verstappen's Initial Career

Similarly the Dutch driver's first years were marked by errors as he learned his craft. After a expensive incident in Monte Carlo in 2018 then boss the Red Bull chief openly called for his racer to show greater control.

Max, too, accepted the advice, the inconsistency all but gone when he started claiming titles. “This has just been character-building,” he said at the time. “In my career there have been times of personal growth and this was another step. Sometimes, it is unpleasant but sometimes you require it.”

Final Thoughts

The McLaren teammates are not yet at the level of Hamilton and Verstappen yet but they are under the identical stress and absorbing the same lessons. As Niki Lauda noted, the initial championship is invariably the hardest. Closing this one out is the greatest test of their professional lives and will likely be decided by the one who can best handle the pressure.