Lando Norris has ‘nothing to prove to anyone’ after crucial F1 win over Oscar Piastri

Lando Norris has insisted he doesn’t have to “prove anything to anyone” following his F1 victory at the Austrian Grand Prix.

Norris returned to winning ways at the Red Bull Ring, cutting Oscar Piastri's lead in the championship standings to 15 points.

It was arguably Norris’ most impressive victory so far of the season as he demonstrated impressive wheel-to-wheel racecraft up against his teammate.

The two McLarens battled hard in the opening phase of the race.

Crucially, before the pit stop phase, Norris could stay ahead of Piastri by keeping DRS when they battled into Turn 3.

Norris described the weekend as “fulfilling”, bouncing back from his DNF in Montreal.

“I mean, it’s certainly, yeah, it’s fulfilling for me,” Norris said in the FIA press conference on Sunday.

“It gives me good confidence. I don’t need to prove any points or prove anything to anyone, honestly. I like to prove things to myself, probably more than anything. So certainly, it’s been a good clean weekend from FP2 onwards. Felt very comfortable and very on top of the car and performed exactly as I want to and as I need to.

“I just had a clean weekend. That’s what I had. It’s not that I’ve not been able to do it before and the pace has always been there at certain points. It’s just there’s been some different reasons for different things. But certainly, coming in today and yesterday to do the job that I did, I’m pretty happy with. But it doesn’t come easily.

“It doesn’t come just because I’ve turned up this weekend and things are better. I’m working a lot. I’m doing a lot more work than I used to away from the track with the team, on the simulator, with my own team, trying to improve everything that I can, both on and off the track.

“I think it’s more a positive thing to see a lot of those things paying off immediately. Good step in the right direction. Still need more, so want more. So, we’ll keep working.”

Norris happy with Piastri duel

Lando Norris’ Canadian GP ended prematurely as he drove into the back of Piastri on Lap 67.

The two McLarens fought hard at the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve but came into contact as Norris misjudged his overtake on the start-finish straight.

Norris was pleased that, unlike in Canada, his battle with Piastri was hard but fair.

“No. I mean, we just had some good battles, and we’ve had a couple in the past,” Norris added.

“Granted, they probably didn’t last as long as they did today, but no, I think we both knew what to expect from each other. We both want to race hard and race fair.

“It goes both ways, and of course, kind of have to put Montreal behind us and behind me for sure. It’s something I wish never happened, but it was nice that we could go out and have a good battle and push things to the limits. There were still some close moments, but nothing that would make Andrea or the pit wall sweat too much.”