Jenson Button on Norris confidence was in the spotlight as Button commented on Lando Norris’ recent form against his McLaren teammate, Oscar Piastri, ahead of the United States Grand Prix. With just a handful of race weekends left, Button discussed how a win at Circuit of The Americas could shape Norris’s momentum and increase the psychological demands on Piastri.
Norris Displays Growing Self-Belief as Rivalry Intensifies
Jenson Button highlighted Lando Norris’ improved approach over the past few events, emphasizing the noticeable gap that Norris has managed to create over Oscar Piastri at key moments. Button spoke to Sky Sports F1 about Norris’s increasingly assertive presence on the track, describing how the British driver has outpaced Piastri by three-tenths throughout recent race weekends.
“I think so, he seems very positive in the last couple of races. Obviously, the incident in Singapore wasn’t good; you never want to touch your team-mate in a racing scenario. He seems confident in himself and, from the word go, he’s had three tenths on Oscar and it’s continued throughout the whole of the weekend,”
Jenson Button, 2009 Formula 1 champion.
Button also described Singapore as a turning point, referring to the incident that affected both McLaren drivers, but asserted that Norris has found confidence regardless.
Piastri Faces Mounting Pressure with Season’s End Approaching
As the season heads into its decisive phase, Button observed that Oscar Piastri now finds himself in a challenging psychological setting. He suggested that if Norris maintains his edge, the balance of confidence could intensify, leaving Piastri grappling with unexpected negativity.
“If he’s able to come out on top here, it’s a lot of confidence going into the rest of the season, and it’s more difficult then for Oscar as well. You guys go in completely different directions, so the confidence is with Lando, and the negativity is more with Oscar, which we never thought would happen with Oscar! But it happens, we’re all human. It’s sport — mentally, this sport is so tough.”
Jenson Button, 2009 Formula 1 champion.
The pressure mounts as Piastri, the current championship leader, holds a slim 14-point advantage over Norris with five race weekends left. Two sprint races among these add further complexity to the title fight.
Verstappen Emerges as a Threat in the Title Hunt
While McLaren’s focus was initially centered on the Norris–Piastri rivalry, the competition has been further complicated by Max Verstappen’s strong post-summer break form. Verstappen has secured victories at renowned tracks such as Italy, Azerbaijan, and the United States, in addition to a sprint race win at Circuit of The Americas. The Dutch driver has also collected valuable points by finishing second in both the Netherlands and Singapore events.
The Red Bull driver’s consistency has reduced his gap in the championship standings, with Verstappen now trailing Piastri by 40 points and Norris by 26 points.
Final Phase: High Stakes for McLaren and Contenders
With only a handful of races remaining, including those with additional sprint formats, the stakes are rising for all top contenders. McLaren’s internal duel between Norris and Piastri is now intertwined with Verstappen’s resurgence, intensifying the mental and practical challenges across the grid. As the United States Grand Prix looms, how drivers manage both pace and pressure will determine the eventual champion in a season marked by shifting confidence and unpredictable dynamics.
