Lando Norris praised for ‘finding something’ over Oscar Piastri in F1 title race

1996 F1 world champion Damon Hill has praised Lando Norris after he “found something” to wrestle momentum away from teammate Oscar Piastri in the title race.

Ahead of this weekend’s Las Vegas Grand Prix, Norris is 24 points ahead of Piastri.

With three rounds to go, Norris is on course to win his first title in Qatar.

Norris’ DNF at Zandvoort sparked his recovery, overturning Piastri’s 34-point lead.

The British driver hasn’t finished behind his teammate since the Belgian Grand Prix in July.

Norris has dominated the last two races to put himself firmly in the driving seat.

Speaking about Norris, Hill highlighted how he has “learned about fighting for a world championship”.

“He’s found something, hasn’t he? And it’s been perfect timing,” Hill told The Mirror.

“It’s come at a time when Oscar suddenly looks a bit forlorn, a bit under pressure.

“They’re both learning about fighting for a world championship… It’s not the same as just driving.”

Norris “world champion material”

Norris would become McLaren’s first F1 world champion since Lewis Hamilton in 2008.

It’s still far from a vintage season for Norris; his 2021 and 2022 campaigns arguably deserve more credit.

Norris’ remarkable first half of 2021 put him ahead of Valtteri Bottas and Sergio Perez in the drivers’ championship.

In 2022, he was the only driver outside the top three teams to finish on the podium, dismantling teammate Daniel Ricciardo.

Hill believes Norris deserves recognition for coming back with “vengeance” despite his early-season struggles.

“It becomes a discipline, really, a mental and psychological discipline which is quite demanding,” Hill added. “That’s what the goal is: To find out who’s got the right stuff and who hasn’t.

“Lando is world champion material; he’s already shown that this year. Yes, there was a time when he went missing, but he’s definitely back with a vengeance now, so it’s looking good for him.”