Horner doesn't see Norris as Verstappen's main challenger: 'He's very strong mentally'
A filmmaker with a soft spot for Ronnie Peterson, Gilles Villeneuve, Mika Hakkinen and above all, Tazio Nuvolari and Ayrton Senna, is also a diehard Formula One fan since the age of 4 (mid-90's). An avid researcher of the past of Grand Prix Racing since before it was even named F1, and with a thirst for knowledge of the ins and outs of the actuality of the sport, as well as for the technical aspects that define it, is a member of GPblog since 2023, where he has put his love of racing to good use.
2025 was said to be Lando Norris' year, having finished runner-up to Max Verstappen in the championship in 2024 and McLaren's current hegemony in F1. However, Red Bull Racing's team principal disagrees with that notion and points to the other side of the McLaren garage, highlighting Oscar Piastri's efforts.
With three race wins in the last four, Piastri has the edge on Norris, Horner notes, in a question posed by GPblog in Jeddah after the race.
"Yeah, Oscar has won three races to Lando's one and looks like the driver in form at this junction in time. He's now the leader of the championship. Had Max won here, he would have been leading the championship. Things move around pretty quickly."
Horner Commends Piastri's Mental Strength
Horner finds the key factor that puts Piastri above Norris, whereas Oscar Piastri was able to start from the front row, pipped only by Max Verstappen, Norris saw his Q3 end prematurely after a mistake put him into the wall, resigning him to a P10 starting position.
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Then, in the race, Piastri's cool-headedness helped him bide his time and wait for the race-defining penalty to do its damage, effectively handing the Australian the race lead, something Horner noticed as well. "He's very strong mentally, pace-wise. He looks very, very rounded."
This article was written in collaboration with Ludo van Denderen.
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