Mika Hakkinen feels Lando Norris might have a slight edge over Oscar Piastri in the F1 championship battle because of one key factor

Former F1 driver Mika Hakkinen has asserted that Lando Norris might have an edge over his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, because of one key factor in the 2025 championship tussle. In line with this, Hakkinen has brought to light the 'experience' factor between Norris and Piastri.

Lando Norris has been competing in the pinnacle of motorsport since 2019. He has so far amassed over 140 race starts, and has also managed to put on board nine wins, 40 podiums, and 13 pole positions.

Oscar Piastri, on the other hand, does not have the kind of experience Norris has. The prolific Australian racing driver has been competing in F1 since 2023 and has so far managed only 64 race starts. The 24-year-old is currently sitting on nine wins, 24 podiums, and five pole positions.

Keeping in view how the 2025 drivers' championship battle has panned out so far between Norris and Piastri, Mika Hakkinen believes that the Brit's experience could help him going into the remaining six races.

In line with this, Hakkinen recently added the following via an interaction with FanCode:

"It’s impossible to say who’s going to win. But logic says that the season is very tough and long. And because of that, experience normally influences a lot of results. Lando has more experience. That could be an important factor towards the end of the season."

The ongoing campaign is 18 rounds down, and Oscar Piastri is in the lead in the drivers' standings with 336 points. Norris is in second place, having amassed 314 points.

"Two unhappy drivers": Guenther Steiner's take on Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri fight

F1 Grand Prix of Azerbaijan - Practice - Source: Getty

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have performed well throughout the 2025 season. They have managed to stay in close vicinity of each other in terms of points. With the latter currently leading, former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner feels that McLaren should prioritize Piastri.

Via a recent interaction on the Red Flags Podcast, Guenther Steiner gave his take on the drivers' championship tussle, and added:

"You have to tell one guy, and obviously that one guy is Oscar in the moment because he has got more points than Lando."

"I’m sorry, and it's nothing against Lando. Oscar put himself in the first two-thirds of the races in a better position. Now it's ‘you go and win the world championship’ because if they lose the drivers' world championship now, I wouldn't be happy. And then you have got two unhappy drivers, at least if you favour one, you've got only one unhappy driver."

Round 19 of the 2025 Formula 1 season will take place this week at the Circuit of the Americas (US GP). In 2024, Lando Norris secured a P4 finish, and Oscar Piastri ended up right behind him in P5.