If it weren't already an intense heatwave in Singapore, the increasing intensity of this season's Formula One title fight would be sufficient to make even the toughest driver wilt. Withstanding the stress may prove the difference between the team's Lando Norris and Piastri as the championship contest ratchets up with every race.
The Championship Battle Remains Extremely Close
Including this round's meeting in Marina Bay, seven races are left and the title race is extremely tight. The Australian is ahead of his teammate by twenty-five points. Both are free to race each other and with Max Verstappen still a significant 69 points behind, it is a direct contest, with very little separating between them.
Drawing from Previous Champions
Formula One's most experienced and accomplished drivers know this scenario very clearly. In 2007, when Lewis Hamilton just failed to win winning the championship in the final race at Brazil in his first year, it showed him the distinct pressure of a championship fight.
“I recall the lead-up to those races at the end and the pressure was present,” he said. “That was unnecessary. If I knew then what I know now, I would have comfortably secured that title, I think. I have learned to avoid adding stress that’s unnecessary.”
Welcome the Cauldron
Welcome then, the McLaren duo, to the cauldron. The advantage so far has swung from one to the other. Lando has five wins to Piastri's seven wins and the duo have scarcely missed the podium in a McLaren that has been the best on the grid. Piastri has been more consistent, with his teammate struggling to adapt to a reduced sensation for grip from the front tires. Even so, they have excelled, the difference between them often only who could perform perfectly, across qualifying and the race.
Expensive Errors for Norris
In this aspect the British driver has been lacking, small errors were damaging in China, especially after a poor qualifying in Sakhir and even more troubling when surrendering the points advantage after crashing out in the qualifying session in Jeddah. Then, worst of all, too aggressive in Montreal he hit his teammate and retired, an massive blow.
Oscar's Steadiness and Small Slip-ups
The young driver, notably in only his third season in Formula One, has been more at ease. For a while spinning out at the first race in the rain in Melbourne was his sole error and one which was forgivable in the unexpected downpour. Subsequently, the Melbourne native was also overtaken and surpassed by an alert Max at Emilia-Romagna, while his misjudgment and sanction for “unpredictable slowing” under the yellow flag at the British Grand Prix cost him a likely win.
Latest Struggles in Azerbaijan
Yet, these were minor hiccups against a major incident at the previous race in Azerbaijan. In Baku, Piastri hit the wall in qualifying leaving him in ninth position, only to follow it with a jump start, the car entering anti-stall mode and dropping him to the rear of the pack.
Chasing places on the first lap, he misread the traction and ended in the wall, an uncharacteristic series of errors that he acknowledged he could cannot repeat in Singapore.
“Azerbaijan was quite a good reminder of how quickly things can turn around,” he commented. “There's some lessons about how I can handle that better and insights on taking chances I guess 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 Past Examples
The pair are, for all their ability, still honing their abilities in Formula One, a path often traveled by other drivers on the grid. The opening years of Lewis's time in F1 were exceptional, but he also made his fair share of errors. Piastri could take note of Sakhir in 2008, the year the multiple title winner won his first title but which was characterized by additional errors as he found himself in an close battle with Felipe Massa.
On the starting grid in Bahrain he had not managed to correctly set the launch control on his car and it went into anti-stall, relegating him to the back. Shortly afterwards, trying to regain positions, he clipped the back of Fernando Alonso's Renault and had to make a stop with a damaged nose. He finished thirteenth after a race he described as “a catastrophe”.
Verstappen's Initial Development
In the same way Verstappen's early career were marked by misjudgments as he gained experience. After one costly crash in Monaco in 2018 then team principal the Red Bull chief openly called for his driver to demonstrate greater control.
Max, also, took it on board, the waywardness almost entirely eliminated when he started claiming championships. “This has just been a learning experience,” he said at the moment. “Throughout my life there have been periods of character-building and this was one more stage. Occasionally, it is unpleasant but sometimes you need it.”
Closing Thoughts
The McLaren teammates are not up with Hamilton and Verstappen so far but they are under the same pressure and absorbing the identical insights. As Niki Lauda observed, the first title is always the most difficult. Closing this championship out is the biggest challenge of their careers and will probably fall to the driver who can best handle the pressure.
