Schumacher: 'Too Early to Write Off Norris in Title Fight'

The big picture: Ralf Schumacher believes it's premature to count Lando Norris out of the championship battle against teammate Oscar Piastri, despite Norris' recent DNF at the Dutch Grand Prix. Why it matters: Norris' retirement in Zandvoort significantly widened the gap to Piastri to 34 points, leading some to suggest a turning point in their intra-team rivalry. However, Schumacher points to potential future mechanical issues for both drivers. The details:

• Norris started second at Zandvoort, closely trailing Piastri before a technical issue forced his McLaren out of the race.
• Schumacher, on Sky Sports Germany's Backstage Boxengasse podcast, suggested increasing engine mileage means more part changes and potential grid penalties or DNFs for both drivers.
• He argues that the DNF might paradoxically reduce pressure on Norris, allowing him to focus on closing the gap without self-blame.
• Schumacher highlighted McLaren's dominant pace in Zandvoort, noting both drivers were "on another planet" in terms of speed. What's next: Expect mind games between Norris and Piastri as they continue to challenge each other. Schumacher views both as having the qualities of future world champions, praising Piastri especially for his innate talent.