Oscar Piastri highlights McLaren's major edge that puts them a level above Max Verstappen-led Red Bull

Oscar Piastri believes McLaren's two-pronged attack in the 2025 Formula 1 season is giving them an edge over Max Verstappen's title defense. Speaking after a dominant 1-2 finish in Spain, the Australian explained how having two strong drivers consistently fighting at the front gives McLaren a tactical edge that Red Bull currently lacks.

Red Bull's season has been increasingly defined by Verstappen's solo brilliance, while their second seat, now occupied by Yuki Tsunoda, continues to lag. In contrast, McLaren's Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris have both finished on the podium in seven of the first nine races, with the team collecting its third 1-2 finish of the season at the Spanish Grand Prix.

"It helps in some situations. You don't have to balance both of the strategies. You can put all the attention on Max, but at the same time, Lando and I do gain something from having each other pushing. Max is obviously very experienced and very talented, but I do think that Lando and I have found some amount of lap-time by having a competitive team-mate, but that of course comes with its challenges as well," Piastri told reporters (via RacingNews365)

Oscar Piastri, who secured the pole and converted it into victory in Barcelona, is now part of a McLaren outfit that has steadily built momentum since 2024.

The 24-year-old emphasized how competition within a team, when handled well, raises the bar for both drivers. In Formula 1, where milliseconds matter, the presence of a competitive teammate often becomes a key factor in pushing performance. Historically, this model has shown both success and volatility.

The fierce intra-team rivalry between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost at McLaren in the late 1980s brought the team multiple championships, but under constant friction. Similarly, Mercedes' dominant hybrid era was defined by Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg's tense but title-winning partnership from 2014 to 2016.

McLaren-Honda teammate helmets belonging to Alain Prost and (R) Ayrton Senna during the Spanish Grand Prix. Source: Getty

Unlike those examples, however, Piastri and Norris have maintained a rare camaraderie while still challenging each other at the highest level.

"Ultimately, we want to be fighting for a championship, beating everyone on the grid, and if you've got someone there pushing you, then whilst it gives you some challenges as a team and as a driver, it also increases your level, which is ultimately what you want," Piastri added.

So far in 2025, their combined efforts have made life increasingly difficult for Verstappen. Oscar leads the standings by 10 points over Norris and by 49 over the Dutchman, and with no orders yet favoring one over the other at McLaren, the pressure is mounting on Verstappen.

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'Grateful' McLaren Team Principal praises Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri for handling competition with 'responsibility'

McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri with Team Principal Andrea Stella after the F1 Grand Prix of Monaco. Source: Getty

McLaren's smooth internal handling of this dual challenge has not gone unnoticed. Crucially, the Papaya team hasn't been forced into choosing one driver over the other so far. The results have mostly leaned in Oscar Piastri's favor, but when Lando Norris has had the upper hand, like in Australia or Monaco, the dynamic has remained unproblematic.

Team Principal Andrea Stella credited both drivers for embodying McLaren's values during this competitive surge.

"We always tell our drivers, 'Don't leave anything in the back of your mind, anything, throw it out, say what you think'.... So far I can only be very grateful to Lando and Oscar, who have approached this internal competition with a great sense of responsibility and pretty much sticking to the letter to what are our racing principles and approach," Stella told Formula 1's official website.

He also shared his views on the Spanish GP qualifying incident where Norris caught a tow from Piastri and momentarily snatched provisional pole. Piastri called the move 'cheeky' on team radio but ultimately secured his fourth pole of the year.

McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri celebrate during the race of the Spanish GP. Source: Getty

The Spanish Grand Prix further underlined this balance as Piastri managed the race expertly from the pole, while Norris backed him up with another composed second-place finish. As the series heads to Canada next, the standings reflect a gap with the grid, with McLaren's cohesion, on and off track, becoming increasingly difficult to beat.