The Australian after the Englishman’s World Cup victory against him: “What do I expect from next season? Fairness. I want there to be equality in everything between him and me”
For fifteen races the World Championship was in his hands. Oscar Piastri in Abu Dhabi saw Lando Norris celebrate that title which, for a good part of the season, seemed like it could be his. He tried until the end to take it back, passing his teammate with a decisive maneuver on the outside a few corners after the start. It wasn’t enough. And then, with great maturity, he congratulated his rival before taking refuge in the embrace of mother Nicole. But then came the doubts: what if McLaren has now really chosen its number one?
the “joke”
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“I don’t think so – Piastri’s firm reply – Within the team I am convinced that nothing will change. Obviously Lando had a good season, deserving the title”. And then the attack: “He’s still Lando Norris… not Superman.” A joke, perhaps, which however reveals how Iceman II also suffered from the many rumors, first and foremost those that McLaren would have preferred a British world champion. Of course, a good part of the blame behind the failed World Cup lies with him (in Holland he was +34 on his rival, before breaking free in the decisive sprint) and yet the feeling is that the climate around the 24-year-old from Melbourne influenced what still remains an inexplicable collapse today. And then Piastri already puts his hands forward: “What do I expect from the team next year? Fairness. I want there to be equality in everything between me and Lando.” In short, as if deep down there was already a certain fear that the team’s priorities could veer towards Lando. “For the moment I’m not afraid that these things might change,” he explains. We will see. Certainly the point to think about, before returning to the track for the tests at the beginning of 2026, remains one: “This year I learned a lot. There were ups and downs in my season and in the end Norris did a better job than me. But I’m sure that in the future I will have the chance to prove my worth again.”