The British Grand Prix marked the end of the first half of the 2025 season. Lando Norris victory, combined with Oscar Piastri second-place finish, perfectly summed up the opening 12 rounds. McLaren dominance is undeniable the top step of the podium has been painted papaya in nine out of twelve races, with five wins for car #81 and fourfor the British driver.

Norris resurges and is fired up to win the title

Like a true phoenix, Lando Norris has risen from the ashes after a rough start to the season. While early signs suggested Piastri was taking control of the championship, two consecutive victories at the Red Bull Ring and Silverstone have cut the gap to just eight points between the two teammates.

The papaya team introduces key upgrades in pursuit of the championship

Starting with the Canadian GP, McLaren installed a new front suspension on its cars. So far, only Norris has chosen to use it, sparking speculation about its role in his recent success.

The upgrade involves subtle geometric changes that affect the car's handling, particularly in corners. Norris stated the change improved his driving feel but insisted it wasn't the sole reason for his results:

"Yes, I’ve won two races since then. I was very fast in Canada. I won’t say it’s all because of the update. I want to give more credit to my hard work, to what I’ve been doing off track with my team and the people around me,” the Brit explained.

He also admitted he might have achieved similar results without the upgrade:

"At the same time, I think I could’ve done the same without it, by reverting to our previous spec. So I don’t really know. Hopefully, someday we can test both back-to-back and find out,” he added.

Piastri disagrees with the upgrade

On the other side of the garage, Oscar Piastri has opted not to implement the same upgrade as his teammate. In his view, while the change improves some aspects, it compromises others, so he chose to stick with the setup he believes best fits his style.

"As I’ve said multiple times, I don’t see it as an upgrade. If it were purely a benefit, I’d use it without hesitation,” said the Australian.
"As long as we have real upgrades coming later, I thought it was better to have a clear read on those,” he concluded.

Who will McLaren support in the second half of the season?

Now, both Norris and Piastri enter the second part of the championship with cars tailored to their preferences. As the top contenders for the title, they’ll look to squeeze every ounce of performance from their setups—not just to beat the rest of the grid, but each other.

There's no doubt the final races will be decisive in determining who becomes the next Formula 1 world champion. The duel between Norris and Piastri will push McLaren to its limits. But after years without silverware, the British team is in prime position to win both the Constructors’ Championship and the Drivers’ Title the only question is, which driver will take the crown?