Not too long ago, if you told any F1 fan that McLaren would have the dominant car in 2025, they would likely pick Lando Norris as the clear drivers' champ.
Yes, we saw cracks in the armor from Norris last year that have seemingly gotten larger this season, but we had yet to see Oscar Piastri do much better.
In 2024, Norris beat Piastri head-to-head 16-8 in grand prix finishes, and 21-3 in qualifying. The talent was there for the Aussie, but not nearly at Norris' level.
Now, everything has shifted in 2025. Piastri holds a 22-point advantage over Norris, he's won three more times than his teammate and has limited mistakes in most situations, something we can't say about Norris.
The next few weeks are flashpoint for Norris to avoid getting usurped for a maiden title by his much less experienced teammate. So what does he need to start that journey this week at the Austrian Grand Prix and beyond?
Lando Norris needs to put together a clean qualifying session
Two poles in a 10-race season isn't too shabby for anyone. But for Norris, it's not nearly enough.
In the quickest car, the inconsistency is not only putting himself out front, but even on the front row, isn't championship caliber.
Canada was another example in a line of misfires -- a P7, and apologies over the radio about not getting a clean run in for Q3.
We can't expect front row lockouts every single week -- this isn't the Red Bull of two years ago or the Mercedes of years before that, but it's still quick enough for better.
Norris' five quali results off the front row (and three of sixth or worse!) aren't going to get it done.
Show confidence in battling Piastri, Verstappen
Norris' struggles in maintaining composure when having to go wheel-to-wheel when his car doesn't have a vast advantage have been glaring.
He's had noted struggles heading into turn one on lap one with the lead from pole -- he's lost the lead from those situations countless times.
But now the mid/late race battles are becoming more of a concern. We return to the scene of the crime last year, where Norris and Verstappen battle finished with neither winning the race. Yes, Norris wasn't solely to blame here, but he had his chances.
We've also got Monza last year as an example of Piastri taking Norris' lunch when the opportunity presents itself.
And now, already trailing Piastri in the standings, Norris' worst misjudgment came in Montreal, where Norris plowed into the back of his teammate.
It's brutal driving on its own, but it was a move that also let Piastri grab 12 points uncontested. 22 points ahead is an advantage that will require slow chipping away against someone as consistent as Piastri, or a failure/crash.
Get off the line quick and win ... easily
In lieu of having to fight off his challengers, Norris' best bet is something he and this McLaren machine should be able to do -- drive away from everyone.
We've seen it from Piastri this season: a 10-second advantage in Shanghai and a 15-second victory in Bahrain.
It all starts with a clean run into turn 1 that can get messy, and then extending into the hairpin. How things play out strategy and safety car-wise from there is out of his hands.
But a drive that is so dominant that we don't even see Norris much on the broadcast is just what he needs now after a demoralizing effort last time out. A win at worst puts him back within 15 points.
Plus, what better place to reignite the title challenge than at the site of his first podium?