Lando Norris believes that Oscar Piastri “will be a world champion” one day, having denied his McLaren team mate this year’s title in the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
Norris became only the 35th driver to win the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship, with third place in Sunday’s race at the Yas Marina Circuit enough for him to claim the crown by two points from Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.
Piastri finished third in the standings, just 13 points behind Norris, despite having led for the majority of the season and recording the same number of wins as Norris with seven.
Piastri also held a 34-point lead at one stage after Norris’ Dutch GP retirement, but a run of six Grands Prix without a podium in the final part of the season ultimately contributed to him missing out on a maiden title.
While Piastri admitted it was “not quite the ending I wished for”, Norris was quick to praise his team mate and Verstappen amidst his own title celebrations, believing Piastri’s time would come.
“I had two other guys who were pretty freaking fast and certainly made my life tough this year,” said the 26-year-old.
“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.”
