SAKHIR, Bahrain – During the Bahrain Grand Prix, Lando Norris struggled, while his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, delivered a drive worthy of a championship contender.

Piastri`s near-perfect weekend, culminating in his fourth Formula 1 victory in 50 races, sharply contrasted with Norris`s experience. Norris confessed to feeling `clueless` with his car after qualifying sixth. Following a somewhat untidy race to third place, Norris admitted he still hasn`t found his rhythm with McLaren`s leading MCL39. This is a concerning statement for a driver aiming for his first world title this season.

When asked about any positives from the race, Norris sarcastically replied, `That I finished, probably.`

The atmosphere at McLaren has completely shifted since the start of the year. Initially, Norris was the preseason favorite, while Piastri, despite his immense talent, was seen as the less consistent teammate needing to improve to challenge for the title, especially in qualifying. The Australian has not only improved but exceeded expectations, and his dominant performance in Bahrain demonstrated his readiness to compete for the championship.

Based on the Bahrain race and the season so far, it would be difficult to bet against Piastri as the likely winner between the two McLaren drivers at this moment.

It is premature to dismiss Norris, and it`s important not to overreact to a single poor weekend. Context matters: despite not feeling fully comfortable with this season`s McLaren car, he still leads the championship, albeit by a narrow three points over his teammate, with 20 races remaining. There is ample time for Norris to adapt to the car.

However, there`s also plenty of time for Piastri to continue his progression.

The clear difference between the two drivers throughout the Bahrain weekend was significant. This follows races in China, where Piastri outperformed Norris in both the sprint and the Grand Prix, and Japan, where McLaren`s pit wall denied Piastri`s request to overtake Norris.

Piastri`s consistent improvement is undeniable. He has progressed faster than McLaren anticipated, and Norris seems to be struggling to cope with this new challenge.

Norris`s Bahrain race was flawed from the outset. On the formation lap, he initially stopped short of his grid position and then overcorrected, positioning himself too far forward. Max Verstappen, starting behind Norris, noticed the error and immediately alerted his Red Bull team.

This significant mistake put Norris on the defensive. McLaren opted for an earlier pit stop to mitigate the five-second penalty incurred due to his start-line error.

`Every time I did something well, I made two mistakes,` Norris summarized his performance. `I kept hindering my own progress.`

Mistakes plagued Norris`s 2024 season, despite his emergence as a title contender after winning the Miami Grand Prix, and these errors seem to have carried over into the current season. In contrast, Piastri has shown remarkable consistency, with only one notable error in 2025.

Piastri`s misjudgment in Australia, running wide in worsening rain conditions, led to a spin and a brief off-track excursion, turning a likely second-place finish into ninth. Norris made an identical error ahead but managed to recover and win the race. The consequences for the two McLaren drivers were vastly different.

Since that Australian race, Piastri has been exceptional, which is the only reason he is not leading the championship standings after Bahrain. Bahrain marked his second victory of the season, while Norris has only one win to his name this year. Piastri`s Bahrain win felt like a statement performance.

`Perhaps not all results have been exactly as desired, but this weekend`s result is definitely what I was aiming for,` Piastri said. `Having a weekend like this is a very significant achievement, beyond just the victory.`

The contrast between the two drivers extends beyond the track. McLaren team principal Andrea Stella highlighted Piastri`s mentality on Saturday, shortly after his pole position.

`I`ve always noted that Oscar has no `noise` in his head, which is a very valuable trait in Formula 1,` Stella commented.

Norris has openly discussed his own mental challenges. His candidness about mental health is admirable, but his openness and self-criticism have been used against him. Helmut Marko, a controversial Red Bull advisor, faced criticism last year for suggesting Norris was `not mentally strong` after Norris spoke about pre-race anxiety.

This highlights another key difference between Norris and Piastri. Norris is known for giving lengthy, thoughtful, and sometimes self-deprecating answers, while Piastri is much more direct. Sources indicate Piastri has consciously adopted a more understated communication style recently, aware of the contrast with his teammate. This difference may become more pronounced as the season progresses.

Norris`s honesty has always been a likable aspect of his personality. He remained open after the Bahrain race, despite acknowledging he needs to reassess his approach to reignite his championship campaign.

When asked if his self-criticism could lead to a negative spiral, Norris responded, `It would be harder for me to hide these feelings. When I do interviews, it`s often just venting my frustration because I`m not achieving what I want to achieve.`

`When I`m hard on myself, I am genuinely disappointed, but when I express it in interviews, I don`t think it negatively impacts me. I`ve done it my whole life and learned to separate those comments from my inner thoughts.`

`Maybe I sometimes lack self-belief, and that`s just part of who I am. It`s how I operate. It`s what has made me successful, and perhaps at times, it has limited me from becoming an even better driver… but I`m content. I know my capabilities, and I believe I`m easily among the best.`

It`s not all negative for Norris. He has shown resilience in the past.

After facing criticism regarding his racecraft and wheel-to-wheel racing against Verstappen, Norris delivered a strong performance at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, securing the constructors` championship for McLaren after Piastri`s early race incident. Norris also drove flawlessly in Singapore last year. These past performances must amplify his current frustration with his disconnect from the 2025 car.

Norris will undoubtedly work hard before the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. Beyond his own performance, he must acknowledge that Piastri has raised the bar within McLaren. Piastri appears composed and formidable, placing Norris on the defensive as they head to Jeddah.

It`s too early to predict the season`s outcome, but Piastri currently seems unstoppable. For Norris to regain control, he needs to quickly rediscover his 2024 form before the season slips away.