Lando Norris’s Oscar Piastri prediction after denying him F1 title

Lando Norris believes McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri “will be a world champion” one day after denying him a maiden F1 world title in 2025.

Norris clinched his first world championship by finishing third at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix as he ended the campaign just two points ahead of Red Bull’s Max Verstappen and 13 clear of Piastri.

It marked F1’s closest finish in 15 years and saw Norris become the 11th Briton to win the drivers’ championship.

Norris was 34 points down on teammate Piastri with nine races remaining but a brilliant run of form, including back-to-back victories in Mexico and Brazil, propelled him to the top of the F1 standings.

The 26-year-old Briton held his nerve in a tense finale at Yas Marina to get his maiden F1 drivers’ crown over the line.

But Norris has backed Piastri, who led the championship for 15 rounds in 2025, to triumph in the future.

"I had two other guys who were pretty freaking fast and certainly made my life tough this year," Norris said.

"Oscar the whole way since round one, I knew he was probably going to be the toughest guy to beat and then you can never count out Max, he's Max.

"We certainly never counted him out and for anyone who might have done, he proved you wrong. I'm glad we kept ourselves on our toes and we were ready for such a thing, but a pleasure to fight Max, four-time world champion.

"For me to have those fights against him and enjoy those moments, maybe not always enjoy them but some of them, but just to share the track and fight against another world champion like him and certainly Oscar as well, who will be a world champion.

"I really enjoyed this season because of that. As much as they made my life hell a lot of the time, those moments I almost enjoyed the most."

Norris and Piastri helped McLaren claim the constructors’ world championship title for the second year running.

Norris has confirmed he will use the number 1 on his car as he looks to defend his world title in 2026.

The 2026 F1 season begins on 8 March with the Australian Grand Prix.