Teammate Tension: Are Lando and Oscar Still Friends?

A heated championship, and growing frustration. Are Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri going to become the next Brocedes?

(Image credit to motorsport.com)

A heated championship battle

Lando and Oscar were both main contenders for this year's WDC alongside 4-time World Champion Max Verstappen, with Norris taking the trophy home. This has, unsurprisingly, caused tensions in the team and between both drivers with contact in Singapore and team orders in Monza bringing it to a boiling point. 

Are we seeing cracks in their friendship? 

From an outside point of view, across the last few race weekends there has been a noticeable trend of both drivers spending less and less time talking with the other. This is unusual for them, considering they have always been easy-going and friendly with one another. Now the question this raises is: is this because they are no longer friends or are they just giving each other space. I think the last one. Both drivers have repeatedly highlighted their respect for each other across the season and it’s understandable for teammates to drift apart in such a tight title battle. Needless to say, whilst they are teammates, they are still rivals, both of them having confirmed that earlier.

‘We are rivals, he wants to beat me, I want to beat him’

-Lando Norris

So it is no surprise that both McLaren drivers also treat each other as rivals on the track, however, this can not be indicative of their relationship off track. After the final race, and Norris coming on top as the 2025 World Drivers Champion, tensions seemed to have simmered down between the two drivers, both acknowledging that their team did their job and whichever way it had fallen, it would all be in good spirits.

In conclusion, there is a lot to be said about this discussion, but in the end, it is up to the drivers themselves if they are friends or not. We have seen a brilliant 24-race championship battle and both the drivers and the team managed everything really well. Are they still friends? You could say that. Will this change in the future? Only time will tell.

Article written by Norah d’Hont ©Norah d’Hont 2025