McLaren not alone in F1 drivers' title fight, says Norris
Lando Norris can retake the Formula One championship lead from Oscar Piastri in Spain this weekend but both said Max Verstappen remained a threat and the battle was not just a duel between McLaren teammates.
McLaren's top two are separated by three points in the standings after eight of 24 races and the champions have won six times this year — Piastri with four to Norris' two.
Norris led for the first time after winning the season opener in Melbourne before ceding the advantage to Piastri in round five in Saudi Arabia but closed the gap again by winning in Monaco last Sunday.
Red Bull's Verstappen, the four-time world champion, has won twice and is third, 25 points behind Piastri.
'Mathematically, probably the whole grid can win the championship. There's plenty of opportunities,' said Norris.
'Max can still win, I think Ferrari — I expect them to get better into the season.
'Max has been on the podium several times, he's won races, he beat us in Imola fair and square because he was quicker. I don't know what possibly makes you think it's only between us [McLaren drivers],' added Norris.
Spain is a favourite track for Verstappen, the place where he won for the first time in 2016, and Piastri expects the Dutch driver to do well again on Sunday.
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Oscar Piastri outpaces Norris to grab Spanish GP pole
ON POLE McLaren's Australian driver Oscar Piastri takes part in the third free practice session of the Formula One Spanish Grand Prix at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo, on the outskirts of Barcelona, on May 31, 2025. Picture: Lluis Gene/AFP Charles Leclerc was seventh in the second Ferrari ahead of Alpine's Pierre Gasly, Racing Bulls' impressive rookie Isack Hadjar and local hero two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin. Four-time world champion Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull ahead of Mercedes' George Russell, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari and Kimi Antonelli in the second Mercedes. The championship leader clocked a near flawless final lap of one minute and 11.546 seconds to beat Norris by 0.209 seconds as McLaren claimed a dominant one-two having also topped all three practice sessions. Oscar Piastri outpaced title rival and McLaren team-mate Lando Norris in the final minute of a gripping qualifying session on Saturday to clinch pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix. Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Piastri Clinches Fourth Pole of the Season, Leading McLaren's Front Row Lockout in Spain It was Piastri's fourth pole of the season and career as he seeks to extend his three-point lead ahead of Norris in the drivers' championship. "Nice work, very nicely done, everyone," said the cool 24-year-old Australian on team radio. "That's quite some turnaround from last year. Well done everyone. Let's have some fun tomorrow!" He added: "I'm very glad to be on pole here and now I just need a good start. It's a long run to the first corner!" Norris said: "Oscar has driven really well and he deserved it. But it is a great result for the team." Piastri's two-second advantage is the biggest this season between pole and second place. After an early fast lap from Aston Martin's Lance Stroll in Q1, the big guns arrived in torrid heat with a track temperature of 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), and the air at 29, punishing conditions for tyres on a high-degradation track. The session was briefly stalled when Alpine's Franco Colapinto stopped in the pitlane and, after a delay, forced others to undertake him leading to a frantic final two minutes. Yuki Tsunoda in the second Red Bull was eliminated in 20th and last place along with Colapinto, Williams' Carlos Sainz – his worst qualifying result at his home event – in 18th, Esteban Ocon of Haas and Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg. For Tsunoda, it was a major setback as he sought to solve Red Bull's dilemma in searching for a partner to push Verstappen. At the front, Piastri topped Verstappen and Norris. In Q2, McLaren's duo led the first runs ahead of Verstappen, Russell and a revived Hamilton before choosing not to take a second go as Hadjar shone, taking sixth and splitting the Ferraris. Out went Alex Albon of Williams, Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto, Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson, Stroll and Oliver Bearman in his Haas. The top 10 shootout began with Piastri lapping in 1:11.836 before Norris overhauled him by 0.017sec for provisional pole on the opening charge. Russell was third ahead of Leclerc, Verstappen and Hamilton before a late Alonso lap lifted him to fifth amid roaring appreciation. Cloud cover affected conditions for the second runs as both McLaren men fought for pole with the Australian prevailing. It was McLaren's first front row lockout in Spain since 1998. AFP
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"I'm very glad to be on pole here and now I just need a good start. It's a long run to the first corner!" McLaren's Australian driver Oscar Piastri celebrates pole position after the qualification session at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmelo, on the outskirts of Barcelona, on May 31, 2025 during the Spanish Formula One Grand Prix. (Photo by LLUIS GENE / AFP) Oscar Piastri outpaced title rival and McLaren team-mate Lando Norris in the final minute of a gripping qualifying session on Saturday to clinch pole position for the Spanish Grand Prix. The championship leader clocked a near flawless final lap of one minute and 11.546 seconds to beat Norris by 0.209 seconds as McLaren claimed a dominant one-two having also topped all three practice sessions. Four-time world champion Max Verstappen was third for Red Bull ahead of Mercedes' George Russell, seven-time champion Lewis Hamilton of Ferrari and Kimi Antonelli in the second Mercedes. Charles Leclerc was seventh in the second Ferrari ahead of Alpine's Pierre Gasly, Racing Bulls' impressive rookie Isack Hadjar and local hero two-time champion Fernando Alonso of Aston Martin. It was Piastri's fourth pole of the season and career as he seeks to extend his three-point lead ahead of Norris in the drivers' championship. 'Nicely done' 'Nice work, very nicely done, everyone,' said the cool 24-year-old Australian on team radio. 'That's quite some turnaround from last year. Well done everyone. Let's have some fun tomorrow!' He added: 'I'm very glad to be on pole here and now I just need a good start. It's a long run to the first corner!' Norris said: 'Oscar has driven really well and he deserved it. But it is a great result for the team.' Piastri's two-second advantage is the biggest this season between pole and second place. After an early fast lap from Aston Martin's Lance Stroll in Q1, the big guns arrived in torrid heat with a track temperature of 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), and the air at 29, punishing conditions for tyres on a high-degradation track. The session was briefly stalled when Alpine's Franco Colapinto stopped in the pitlane and, after a delay, forced others to undertake him leading to a frantic final two minutes. Yuki Tsunoda in the second Red Bull was eliminated in 20th and last place along with Colapinto, Williams' Carlos Sainz – his worst qualifying result at his home event – in 18th, Esteban Ocon of Haas and Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg. For Tsunoda, it was a major setback as he sought to solve Red Bull's dilemma in searching for a partner to push Verstappen. At the front, Piastri topped Verstappen and Norris. In Q2, McLaren's duo led the first runs ahead of Verstappen, Russell and a revived Hamilton before choosing not to take a second go as Hadjar shone, taking sixth and splitting the Ferraris. Out went Alex Albon of Williams, Sauber's Gabriel Bortoleto, Racing Bulls' Liam Lawson, Stroll and Oliver Bearman in his Haas. The top 10 shootout began with Piastri lapping in 1:11.836 before Norris overhauled him by 0.017sec for provisional pole on the opening charge. Russell was third ahead of Leclerc, Verstappen and Hamilton before a late Alonso lap lifted him to fifth amid roaring appreciation. Cloud cover affected conditions for the second runs as both McLaren men fought for pole with the Australian prevailing. It was McLaren's first front row lockout in Spain since 1998.
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