Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher has warned that Lando Norris risks missing out on the 2025 world championship unless he rapidly hones his race craft.
Norris again faced scrutiny for lacking the mental toughness to secure the title after an aggressive but unsuccessful attempt to overtake pole-sitter Max Verstappen in Miami, which forced him off the track and dropped him to sixth.
The McLaren driver claimed he was "forced off" and described racing Verstappen as "crash or don't pass". However, his teammate Oscar Piastri, who went on to win the race, cleanly passed the four-time world champion.
"I don't know what's wrong with Norris," Schumacher remarked to Sky Deutschland at the time.
The German has since reiterated his critique, arguing that Norris is being outshone by title rivals Piastri and Verstappen. "Norris isn't capable of it, otherwise he would do it," Schumacher said when asked about Norris' recurring struggles in wheel-to-wheel battles.
"There are no excuses. There are simply some drivers who have a superb eye for it - that's Verstappen, of course, but also Piastri and I have to say also (Oliver) Bearman. Norris simply lacks that, and he won't learn it either. It will stay that way. He's missing the basics of overtaking."
Schumacher, a six-time grand prix winner and brother of F1 icon Michael Schumacher, added: "You actually learn that in karting, so he should be able to do it. But he always seems to take too long to get to the front, and that's a problem. It's not how he can become world champion."
He also pointed to Norris' perceived mental fragility compared to the composed Piastri or assertive Verstappen, suggesting a shift in McLaren's driver hierarchy has taken place. "Piastri feels clearly superior after the Miami weekend," Schumacher noted, highlighting Piastri's four victories in the last five races.
"He (Piastri) was even a bit unlucky with the safety car in the sprint, which is the only reason Norris won in the end. So it's a difficult situation for Norris. And he's not making any friends with his criticism of Verstappen, either. Even his own team boss Andrea Stella clearly saw that it was Norris' mistake."
Schumacher warned that Norris' challenges could intensify in upcoming races. "Norris knows that he has to deliver now," the 49-year-old said.
"That means he will increase his risk-taking, also because I think he is sick and tired of always being called the weak one. I think he'll want to show more toughness now - but he lacks the feel of a Piastri. Piastri is also showing that he can drive tight lines and defend hard. I can imagine Norris misjudging a situation in a direct duel resulting in contact with his teammate."
