Piastri Targets Renewed Norris Title Fight in 2026 After Breakthrough Season

A qualifying leap produced seven wins, with late setbacks plus strategy calls leaving him short.

Overview

Lando Norris won the 2025 drivers' title by 13 points after Oscar Piastri led the standings for much of the year, including 15 of 24 rounds.
Jolyon Palmer hailed Piastri as the grid's most improved driver, calling his campaign an "amazing coming of age."
Palmer credited a decisive step in qualifying for Piastri's surge and noted that seven victories might have been 10 without a Silverstone penalty and strategy defeats in Budapest and Qatar.
Piastri told Australian TV he expects his respectful rivalry with Norris to continue for many years and thanked fans at the MCG for their support.
Looking to 2026, new regulations are expected to shake up the order, with speculation Mercedes could benefit, even after McLaren's 2025 dominance that included 14 wins and an early constructors' crown.