Former McLaren driver David Coulthard has praised the team for how well they have handled the rivalry between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri so far this season, as the race for the Driver’s Championship heats up.
It comes as the Formula One action is set to start once again, with the Belgian Grand Prix just around the corner.
As it stands, McLaren have been the dominant force this season, leading the Constructors’ Championship with a strong car leading the way.
| Position | Constructors' Standings | Points |
| 1 | McLaren Racing | 460 |
| 2 | Scuderia Ferrari | 222 |
| 3 | Mercedes-AMG Petronas | 210 |
| 4 | Red Bull Racing | 172 |
| 5 | Williams F1 Team | 59 |
| 6 | Stake F1 Team Kick Sauber | 41 |
| 7 | Racing Bulls | 36 |
| 8 | Aston Martin F1 Team | 36 |
| 9 | Haas F1 Team | 29 |
| 10 | Alpine F1 Team | 19 |
It’s a similar story on the driver front too, with Oscar Piastri leading Lando Norris at the front of the pack.
While there have been a few tense moments between the pair at times, as they battle it out for the championship, there has been plenty of praise for how their team have handled the situation.
David Coulthard praises McLaren for how they have handled Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris rivalry
With the Driver’s Championship heating up during the first half of the F1 calendar, the second half is set to bring yet more twists and turns.
The two McLaren drivers will be battling it out to land the top prize, but there will be team responsibilities to take on board too.
| Position | Drivers' Championship | Points |
| 1 | Oscar Piastri | 234 |
| 2 | Lando Norris | 226 |
| 3 | Max Verstappen | 165 |
| 4 | George Russell | 147 |
| 5 | Charles Leclerc | 119 |
With that in mind, David Coulthard believes that McLaren have handled the rivalry in a healthy way so far, praising their management of the situation.
He told the official F1 website: “I think McLaren have handled it really well. I think both their drivers are on the tamer side of animal than the wilder side of animal, so that probably makes it a little bit easier.
“But this could also be their only chance to win a world title; we don’t know what 2026 brings, we don’t know what the future is, so you’ve got to seize the moment.
“That’s why I’m really impressed with how Oscar [Piastri] has stepped up this year. But Lando’s [Norris] response over the last two races is showing his quality as well.
“I think it’s going to be one of those things where both of them deserve it, but only one can get it.”
The stakes have been relatively low so far, as plenty more tracks await, but there have been some bubbling points.
Norris’ collision with Piastri in Canada highlighted exactly what is at stake as both drivers pushed each other to the limit, but there was no clear animosity.
The former took responsibility for the incident that knocked him out of the race, while the latter went on to finish fourth.
With some big races coming up, it remains to be seen if that rivalry between teammates will stay at the same level.
Lando Norris reveals motivation to win the F1 Driver’s Championship
There is plenty of racing left to come this season, with Piastri currently leading Norris heading into the second half of the calendar.
The two McLaren drivers will be looking to push themselves to the limit to secure the Driver’s Championship, which is heating up.
For Norris, the ambition is clear, as he said on the McLaren YouTube channel: “My biggest source of motivation? My team, people with the correct understanding, the correct knowledge, people who can work together, motivate one another, support one another.
On his ambitions, the answer was crystal clear as he said: “My big goal is just to win a Drivers’ Championship. The hardest goal of them all is to achieve that, and I’m sure it’s an incredible feeling. So that’s my goal. I just want to win.”
That goal will be at the core of the rest of the season as the two McLaren drivers battle it out for top spot.