Has Lando Norris’ loyalty to McLaren paid off?

When Lando Norris, the bright young rookie with promised potential joined Mclaren in 2019, few would’ve believed that he would be a defining figure of the team in the modern era.

Not only this, but his undying loyalty being tested by F1 juggernauts like Red Bull Racing and Mercedes. Yet, has this loyalty ultimately paid off with Oscar Piastri joining the team? 

📸 Piastri leads the standings at the season break.

The young, rapid Australian Oscar Piastri joined the team in 2023 and instantly made an impact after a rough first half of the season finishing P1 in the sprint in Qatar holding off the two time world champion (at the time) Max Verstappen which was insanely impressive considering the performance of the RB19 and the even greater driver racing in the number #1 car.

Norris’ patience was rewarded with a maiden win in Miami 2024. This wasn’t just a personal milestone that Norris had been thriving to achieve but also marked McLaren's long awaited return to the top. This wasn’t the end as Norris bagged three more wins in 2024 at Singapore, the Netherlands and Abu Dhabi. The win in Abu Dhabi held great significance as Norris held off two charging Ferrari’s of Carlos Sainz and Charles Leclerc to clinch Mclaren their first Constructors Championship since 1998 consolidating Lando's importance within the team. “Papaya on top”.

📸 Norris celebrates a win at Abu Dhabi at the end of the 2024 season.

Fast forward to the 2025 season and Norris is now under pressure from his teammate with only nine points separating the two following the Hungarian Grand Prix.  It is clear that Lando's loyalty has been rewarded with eight race wins and countless podium finishes yet, has this been rewarded from the team?

📸 Even matched on the wins, but are McLaren now prioritising one driver over the other?

Recently, Piastri’s incredible performances during the 2025 season has led many to believe that McLaren is now prioritising the Australian over McLaren’s “Starboy” Norris Mclaren are suspected to be providing upgrades to Piastri’s car before Norris and basing the car primarily on the Australian’s racing style yet both are still even on total race wins. So can it really be said that Lando's loyalty has paid off, even though he is now being seemingly undermined by his teammate just because Piastri has had a better start to the season?

In my opinion, I believe Lando's loyalty has paid off; due to valuable race wins and podiums he has received from the fast car he is being provided with as the MCL39 is defined as the ‘greatest car in the turbo-hybrid era’. However with both drivers now being labelled as equal and appreciated by the team on the same level , it does come as a surprise due as Lando Norris was a primary force that pushed the team back to the top of Formula 1.

📸 Will this man’s loyalty be rewarded?

📸 Image credits: Formula Motorsport Limited, McLaren Racing.