Oscar Piastri has now triumphed in direct duels against Max Verstappen in two consecutive F1 weekends, culminating in a race victory.
After aggressively forcing Verstappen off track and incurring a penalty for the Dutchman in Saudi Arabia, Piastri again successfully navigated a battle with the Red Bull driver in Miami. This secured his fourth win of the season and extended his lead over teammate Lando Norris in the championship standings to 16 points.
Lando Norris had the chance to gain points on Piastri in Sunday`s race but lost positions early on when attempting to overtake pole-sitter Verstappen, and subsequently lost more time to him later.
This sequence of events raises the question of whether Piastri displays a more astute approach when racing competitors, particularly Verstappen, compared to his teammate Norris. This difference could prove a significant factor in this year`s title chase.
“Oscar`s racecraft is good. He`s definitely got the edge over Norris on racecraft,” commented Martin Brundle.
He added, “Norris has a fraction of an edge on pace when he hooks it all up. Piastri`s getting the job done, getting the moves made, not making mistakes and getting victories.”
Piastri `Starting to Understand` How to Race Verstappen
The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix felt like Piastri laid down a marker to Verstappen. The McLaren driver perfectly exploited the rulebook using a tactic that Verstappen himself is known for.
Following controversial incidents between Verstappen and Norris during last year`s intensifying title race, the F1 Driving Standards Guidelines were updated for the current season.
The new rules effectively permit the driver on the inside line to force their opponent wide, provided they stay within track limits themselves, removing the previous requirement to leave space on the outside.
Piastri executed this perfectly, presenting Verstappen with the dilemma of either backing out or cutting the corner. Verstappen chose the latter and received a penalty.
“I`m starting to understand what you can and can`t do around Max. In Saudi I did what I needed to, to win myself the race,” Piastri stated.
Starting from fourth on the grid in Miami, Piastri opted for patience rather than immediate aggression. He gained a spot when Norris went wide at Turn 2, quickly passed Antonelli, and then focused on finding a way past Verstappen for the lead.
Piastri spent several laps behind Verstappen, who defended well, before successfully forcing the Red Bull driver into a mistake at the first corner on Lap 14.
“Even though it took me a fair few laps to get past him, that was probably as efficient as I could have overtaken him,” Piastri commented.
He continued, “I learned through my years of watching Max and racing against him that being on his outside is not a very fun place and I had to try something different. It felt like a matter of when, rather than if, but I had to pick my moment wisely.”
What About Norris` Battles with Verstappen?
Norris learned about racing Verstappen the hard way at the 2024 Austrian Grand Prix when they collided during a frantic fight for the lead.
Later in the year, Norris was penalized for overtaking Verstappen off the track in a controversial move at the United States Grand Prix.
Just one week later in Mexico City, Verstappen received two 10-second time penalties for leaving the track and gaining an advantage against Norris, which ultimately hindered Norris`s chance of winning the race.
Their recent clash in Miami, which might have resulted in a penalty for Verstappen under older rules, saw the updated Driver Standards Guidelines allow the Red Bull driver, despite a slide, to run Norris wide.
“If there`s a gap, I`m going to go for it. I`m not going to back out. I`m here to race,” Norris said afterwards.
Similar to Piastri, Norris also spent multiple laps stuck behind Verstappen before eventually getting past.
The British driver believed it was “not very smart” for Verstappen to battle so fiercely against the considerably faster McLarens.
However, it`s debatable whether Norris missed an opportunity by not simply slotting in behind Verstappen in second place after the first corner.
Commentators Jenson Button and Anthony Davidson felt Norris was right to attack given his superior traction, but McLaren team principal Andrea Stella offered a different perspective, stating that “with hindsight it would have been potentially wiser for Lando to lift”.
Whether Piastri would have made the same decision is uncertain, but as Norris points out, critics are often quick to judge unless an aggressive move pays off.
“If I don`t go for it, people complain. If I go for it, people complain. So, you can`t win,” Norris remarked.
He concluded, “But it`s the way it is with Max – it`s crash or don`t pass. Unless you get it really right and you put him in the perfect position, then you can just about get there. But I paid the price for not doing a good enough job.”
So Is There a Difference Between Norris and Piastri?
Perhaps the contrasting public personalities of Piastri and Norris—Piastri`s cool demeanor versus Norris`s more emotional and open nature—lead some to perceive differences in their racing styles.
Both are exceptionally fast, and the real test will be how they compete directly against each other on track. McLaren boss Andrea Stella insists there is no significant difference between his drivers.
“So I don`t think we should over-read too much into situations. I think it`s like, as I said before, a matter sometimes of a fraction of a second, or a fraction of a metre,” he said.
He concluded, “I think in terms of overtaking manoeuvre and precision and determination, I don`t see that there`s any difference between our two drivers.”
Wesley Dunham 
Gilbert Pendleton