The 2025 Formula 1 season is unfolding as a psychological duel between McLaren's contrasting drivers, with Alain Prost declaring that Oscar Piastri's reserved demeanour is giving him the edge over Lando Norris.
Piastri, known for his calm and understated personality, clinched his third consecutive grand prix victory in Miami on Sunday, establishing a 16-point lead over former championship leader Norris.
While Piastri executed a calculated overtake on Red Bull's Max Verstappen, Norris vented his frustration after another clash with the reigning champion, gesturing with a middle finger. When asked if he took too big a risk attempting to pass Verstappen on the outside, Norris replied, "If I don't go for it, people complain. If I go for it, people complain. So you can't win.
"But it's the way it is with Max—it's crash or don't pass."
Piastri, however, described his successful move on Verstappen with composure. "It was a matter of just biding my time, waiting for a moment, or forcing him into a moment," the Australian, now the 2025 title favourite, said.
"That's what I was able to do."
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher pointed to Norris' latest Miami incident as part of a pattern of faltering resolve. "I don't know what's wrong with Norris," he told Sky Deutschland.
"He was always very determined in karting and in other series, but he's lost that a bit. Maybe because he's too cautious and too worried about losing points and losing ground, but it's making him lose ground.
"He urgently needs to work on that. He's also quickly gotten the reputation that the others can just go for it when it comes to racing him. Because we saw that Piastri was able to force Verstappen into a small mistake to get through on the inside."
Alain Prost, the quadruple world champion nicknamed 'The Professor,' believes Piastri's mental fortitude is proving decisive at McLaren.
"Motor racing is obviously played out on the track," he told L'Equipe. "Reflexes and the natural talent of the drivers are obviously essential. But motor racing is also played out in the mind. Psychology is a crucial element," added Prost, whose infamous rivalry with Ayrton Senna at McLaren remains iconic.
"It was already like that in my day, but modernity has made it even more crucial to a driver's success."
Prost, 70, noted the pressures of today's media landscape. "Now, everything is shown, everything is experienced, everything is known," he said.
"Many drivers succumb to this trend, but I think by doing so, they put an insane amount of pressure on themselves. Others choose to remain discreet—in my opinion rightly so.
"The new championship leader, Oscar Piastri, hardly talks at all. We don't know much about his life off the track. He's naturally reserved, disappearing between races and freeing himself from this pressure."
