MCLAREN’S NEW HIERARCHY: HOW LANDO NORRIS’S TITLE CHANGES THE TEAM’S 2026 DYNAMIC FOREVER
Lando Norris clinches the 2025 F1 title by two points! Explore Damon Hill’s Schumacher comparison and the 2026 McLaren rivalry.
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Lando Norris finally did it—last year at Abu Dhabi, he joined the rare club of Formula 1 world champions. It wasn’t an easy ride, either. Even though McLaren’s car was quick, Norris and the team had to grind for every point, just barely edging out Max Verstappen by two points for the 2025 title.
For a while, it even looked like Oscar Piastri had the edge. He was leading the charge in the standings through the middle of the season, but then Norris found another gear and pulled ahead down the stretch.
So now, everyone’s wondering—can Norris defend his title? And what about Piastri? If McLaren nails the new rules, does he come back even stronger? It really depends on how the car shapes up next year.
Norris proved a lot of people—including himself—wrong by taking the championship. Damon Hill sees something special in him, too. Hill even compared Norris’s drive and focus to Michael Schumacher’s. No, he doesn’t think Norris will rack up seven titles like Schumacher, but he sees that same unshakeable determination.
Chatting on the Stay on Track Podcast, Hill said, “He’s done it now. That takes the pressure off a bit. But it also comes down to how badly you want to keep winning. Look at Schumacher—he could’ve stopped at four or five, but he just kept going. Some people just keep pushing for more. I really think Lando’s got three or four titles in him.”
Hill didn’t count out Piastri, either. “Oscar didn’t exactly underperform. Sure, he had some rough patches, but he’ll spend the offseason figuring out how to iron those out. He’ll come back more determined, and that’s only going to make the team stronger—but also more competitive inside McLaren. Oscar’s not going to just let Lando walk away with it again.”
There’s another layer to all this, too: the relationship between Norris and Piastri. McLaren’s team dynamics are under the microscope, especially after some late-season decisions rubbed Piastri’s side the wrong way.
Hill talked about how being a world champion changes things. “The team trusts both drivers, but once you’ve won a title, you get a little more sway. Suddenly, everyone listens a bit more closely. You’ve got that world champion aura. Sometimes it’s deserved, sometimes it’s not—I didn’t suddenly know everything after winning. But your mindset shifts, and that influences the people around you. Leadership becomes a bigger part of your role.”
Both Norris and Piastri have a reputation for putting in the work—long hours, tons of data, always looking for an edge. But if McLaren starts to lean more on Norris’s feedback, Piastri could find himself fighting to keep up, not just on track, but inside the team.
Team boss Andrea Stella knows he can’t overlook Piastri. If he does, Piastri could easily become the hottest free agent heading into 2027. McLaren’s got a serious balancing act on their hands.
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
