McLaren “putting two sides of the garage against each other” with F1 policy

McLaren is doing the right thing by letting Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris freely race against each for the 2025 Formula 1 title, but the strategy is also pitting the two sides of the garage directly against each other.

This is the opinion of Sky TV analyst Naomi Schiff, who believes the tensions will only flare up within the team as the season resumes this weekend in the Netherlands after a four-week summer break.

Piastri and Norris have emerged as the only two drivers with a realistic shot of winning this year’s championship, having won 11 of the 14 races so far in the dominant MCL39.

While four-time world champion Max Verstappen posed an outside threat in the first half of the season, Red Bull’s recent dip has given McLaren the freedom to let Norris and Piastri fight it out between themselves.

Schiff praised McLaren for the approach it has adopted, but warned that it comes with certain risks during the title run-in.

“It was the story last season that we thought the team needed to step in where they didn’t want to,” she said on Sky TV.

“I take my hat off to them, to let them go racing. It has made it more exciting for spectators.

“They have a clear points haul in the constructors’ so they are safe, in that sense.

“Andrea Stella has said ‘contact is inevitable - if it happens, we are not against it’. But they don’t want anything malicious, they don’t want anything that will change the nature of the team internally, with a malicious move.

“Ultimately, by making this decision, they are putting the two sides of the garage against each other.

“They have said ‘have a go’ and I think the pressure is ramping up for everybody in the team. Any little mistake could derail one of these drivers.”

Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris warned 'this might be their only chance'

Former Williams F1 star Jacques Villeneuve believes both Piastri and Norris would have returned from the summer shutdown with the sole goal of outduelling each other.

He stressed that the stakes are particularly high for them this year, with the new regulations likely to reset the form guide and wipe McLaren’s advantage.

“It’s all down to the future ahead of them,” the 1997 F1 champion said on Sky TV. “With the new rules coming in, they both know that they have a winning car this year, but might not next year.

"This might be their only chance.

“They also know - the same as I had in 1996 - nobody else is in the mix for the drivers’ championship.

“It’s between these two guys. Normally it’s a 1-2 so there are few points you can recover.

“They are both super fast and approach weekends super different. This is interesting.

“They’ve had the summer break and can now think about ‘how can I attack my teammate? How do I beat him? We are similar pace so how do I put pressure on?’”

Another Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri collision inevitable

The only flashpoint between the McLaren drivers came in Canada, when Norris slammed into the back of Piastri while fighting for fourth position.

However, with Norris immediately apologising for the error and McLaren talking to the two drivers in private, tensions between the pair were quickly defused.

But Villeneuve is convinced that there will be another collision between the two title contenders at some point this season.

“In most contracts the team comes first. Also, both drivers cannot be penalised for trying to win the championship so it’s a fine line.

“It’s in McLaren’s interest to let them race because they get the cameras on them, the images, they get the sponsors.

“They will win the drivers’ championship anyway so why not let them fight it out?

“They will have a coming together.”