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Were it not already an intense heatwave in the Marina Bay circuit, the growing pressure of this season's Formula One title fight would be sufficient to make even the toughest driver struggle. Withstanding the pressure may prove the difference between the team's Lando Norris and Piastri as the title battle intensifies with every race.

The Championship Battle Is Extremely Close

Starting with this weekend's meeting in Singapore, seven races are left and the championship is extremely tight. The Australian leads his British rival by twenty-five points. Each are allowed to compete against one another and with Max Verstappen still a distant sixty-nine points behind, it is a direct contest, with little to choose between them.

Drawing from Previous Champions

F1's most seasoned and accomplished drivers know this situation all too well. In 2007, when Lewis Hamilton just failed to win securing the championship in the final race at Interlagos in his first year, it showed him the distinct pressure of a title tilt.

“I remember the buildup to those races at the conclusion and the stress was present,” he said. “That was unnecessary. Had I known then what I understand today, I would have comfortably secured that championship, I think. I have learned not to add pressure that’s unnecessary.”

Welcome the Pressure Cooker

Welcome then, the McLaren duo, to the cauldron. The advantage thus far has swung between them. Norris has five wins to Oscar's seven and the pair have scarcely missed the top three in a McLaren car that has been the class of the field. The Australian has been steadier, with his teammate finding it hard to adjust to a reduced sensation for grip from the front tires. Nonetheless, they have dominated, the difference between them often only who could perform flawlessly, across Saturday sessions and the race.

Expensive Mistakes for Norris

In this regard Norris has been lacking, small errors were damaging in China, more so after a poor qualifying in Bahrain and worse still when losing the points advantage after hitting the barriers in the qualifying session in Saudi Arabia. Then, worst of all, too aggressive in Montreal he hit his teammate and retired, an enormous setback.

Oscar's Consistency and Minor Errors

Piastri, notably in just his third year in Formula One, has been more comfortable. For some time spinning out at the first race in the rain in Albert Park was his sole error and one which was excusable in the unexpected downpour. Subsequently, the Australian was also caught out and surpassed by an alert Verstappen at Emilia-Romagna, while his mistake and penalty for “unpredictable slowing” under the safety car at the British Grand Prix denied him a probable victory.

Recent Difficulties in Azerbaijan

However, these were minor hiccups against something of a debacle at the previous race in Baku. In Azerbaijan, the McLaren driver hit the wall in qualifying leaving him ninth on the grid, only to compound it with a false start, the car going into anti-stall and sending him to the rear of the pack.

Chasing places on the opening lap, he misjudged the traction and ended in the wall, an unusual sequence of mistakes that he admitted he could ill afford in this weekend's race.

“Azerbaijan was a strong lesson of how quickly things can change,” he said. “There are takeaways about how I can deal with that more effectively and lessons on taking chances I guess is the most accurate description to describe it. No major changes that require to be altered or that I am going to adjust.”

Learning from History

Both drivers are, for all their talent, still refining their abilities in F1, a journey well trodden by some of their peers on the grid. The opening years of Lewis's career were exceptional, but he also committed his fair share of errors. The McLaren driver could learn of Bahrain in 2008, the year the multiple title winner won his first title but which was characterized by other mistakes as he was engaged in an close battle with his Ferrari rival.

On the grid in Manama he had not managed to correctly set the launch control on his car and it entered anti-stall, relegating him to the back. Shortly afterwards, trying to regain places, he touched the rear of Fernando Alonso's Renault and had to make a stop with a broken nose. He came 13th after a grand prix he called as “a disaster”.

Verstappen's Initial Career

Similarly the Dutch driver's first years were defined by misjudgments as he gained experience. After a expensive incident in Monaco in 2018 then boss Christian Horner publicly demanded his racer to demonstrate greater control.

Max, too, took it on board, the waywardness almost entirely eliminated when he started claiming championships. “This has just been a learning experience,” he said at the moment. “Throughout my life there have been times of character-building and this was another step. Sometimes, it is unpleasant but at times you require it.”

Closing Thoughts

Norris and Piastri are not yet at the level of Hamilton and Verstappen so far but they are under the same pressure and learning the same lessons. As the legendary driver observed, the initial championship is invariably the most difficult. Closing this one out is the greatest test of their careers and will likely fall to the driver who can most effectively manage the heat.