“I am here because I want to become a World Champion": Oscar Piastri makes his intentions clear

Right after renewing his contract with McLaren, Oscar Piastri revealed that winning the F1 world championship is his only intention. The Australian driver signed up to race for the Papayas in the upcoming years and is already full of confidence.

Norris joined McLaren in 2023, after the Zak Brown-led team brought him in to replace his compatriot Daniel Ricciardo. Right from his first year as a Papaya driver, Piastri gave his more experienced teammate, Lando Norris, a run for his money.

Although he failed to challenge Norris much in 2023, the next year saw the drivers be on an even keel. Thanks to his performance alongside Norris, McLaren was able to claim the Constructors' Championship last year.

Coming into 2025, Piastri signed a multi-year deal with McLaren. The contract will see Piastri race for the Woking-based team for the seasons to come and be a strong challenger to Norris' title hopes. Speaking about this, the man from Down Under recently said (via Motorsport Week):

“I enjoy being in that position of expectation. I’m certainly not in the sport just to make up the numbers. I am here because I want to become a World Champion. Over the last couple of seasons, I have proven to myself, more than anyone, that I’ve got what it takes."

“I don’t think that I’m at the peak of what I’m capable of, but I’m trying my absolute best to get there as quickly as possible. I know when I have my best weekends, they’re good enough to beat the very best," he added.

Oscar Piastri gearing up for the title battle for McLaren could bring a feisty battle between him and Lando Norris. Given the fact that Norris is also a championship contender and the McLaren MCL39s are mighty, the upcoming F1 season could be a blockbuster show for fans.

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How has Oscar Piastri performed in comparison to Lando Norris in 2025?

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri started off their 2025 season evenly. Even though Norris is currently ahead in terms of championship points (44 points), Piastri is not far behind (34 points).

Second placed Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren Zak Brown, Chief Executive Officer of McLaren and Race winner Oscar Piastri of Australia and McLaren celebrate in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of China - Source: Getty

Norris claimed the pole in Australia, whereas Piastri locked in the front row with P2 in qualifying. The #4 driver kept his advantage and won the rain-soaked race, but Piastri lost control of his MCL39 and came home in P9.

In China, he secured P2 in the Sprint, pole in the main race, and then claimed the Chinese GP victory. In terms of qualifying and race pace, there's hardly any difference between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.