Guenther Steiner, former F1 team principal, believes Oscar Piastri will win the F1 title this year over Lando Norris, citing Norris's recurring 'glitches' or small mistakes. Piastri currently holds a 16-point lead over Norris in the championship standings.
Why it matters
Norris's consistent minor errors are identified by Steiner as the key factor that could cost him the championship, despite his comparable speed to Piastri when everything goes smoothly. These 'glitches' appear unexpectedly, hindering his performance.
The details
- Spa Performance: At the recent Belgian Grand Prix, Piastri secured victory while Norris finished second. Norris was observed making a couple of mistakes at Turn 1 while pursuing Piastri for the lead in the closing stages.
- Steiner's Assessment: Steiner highlighted these errors as a consistent pattern in Norris's season. "We see it over and over again with Lando," Steiner stated on the Red Flags podcast. "He makes these little mistakes and therefore, I always say that Oscar will win the championship. That is what makes the difference."
On the Belgian GP restart
While Norris lost his pole position lead to Piastri on the run to Turn 5 at the start of the race, Steiner clarified this was not a 'mistake' on Norris's part. Instead, he attributed Piastri's overtake to his bravery and aggressive driving through Eau Rouge, combined with slipstream, making the move possible. Steiner noted that while a driver can always be smarter in a restart, sometimes the execution just doesn't go their way when facing an equally determined rival.
What's next
The championship battle between the two McLaren teammates is expected to intensify, with Piastri aiming to capitalize on his lead and Norris needing to eliminate these small errors to challenge for the title.