McLaren have 'internally decided' major call after Lando Norris 'weaknesses'

Ex-Formula 1 ace Ralf Schumacher has dropped a bombshell, claiming McLaren have "internally decided that Oscar Piastri is the man" to lead them to world championship glory, citing Lando Norris's error-prone ways as a key factor.

Despite McLaren boasting the fastest car on the grid and topping both championships, with Piastri a clear 22 points ahead of Norris, Schumacher pointed out Norris's costly retirement in Canada due to a collision with his Aussie teammate.

The Woking-based outfit's 'let them race' policy has seen Piastri outperform Norris, who was once the golden boy of the team. With five wins out of ten races this season, Piastri's championship potential is evident.

Norris may have two wins under his belt, but some question his psychological fortitude compared to Piastri, who has previously demonstrated his ruthless streak. Last season, McLaren didn't favour Norris in his pursuit of Max Verstappen for the title.

This season, they've maintained their stance of not designating a lead driver, allowing both racers to chase their dreams. However, Schumacher told Sky Germany he believes the team has recognised Piastri as their future star.

He stated: "I believe that it is now internally decided that Piastri is the man the team will focus on in terms of the World Championship. Lando shows too many weaknesses and makes too many mistakes, including his senseless driving into the back of Oscar in Canada."

Norris openly admitted his mistake after a botched manoeuvre against teammate Piastri in Montreal, a candid confession praised by Schumacher: "He has apologised and that shows what a great person he is," yet he added a stern caveat, "But it's no use, because great people rarely win titles."

McLaren's Andreas Stella acknowledged the high risk of their competitive tactics leading to collisions, with the incident in Canada denting Norris's assurance: "Obviously it's an episode which cost him championship points.

"It's an episode that for his own admission he said, 'the principle was clear, I just made a misjudgement'. He never came to say, 'let's talk about it'. This may have an impact in terms of his confidence, but it's up to us as a team to show our full support to Lando."