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Were it not already a sweltering sauna in the Marina Bay circuit, the increasing intensity of this year's Formula One world championship would be enough to make even the toughest competitor struggle. Withstanding the pressure may prove the deciding factor between McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri as the title battle ratchets up with every race.

The Title Fight Is Finely Poised

Starting with this weekend's meeting in Singapore, seven races are left and the title race is extremely tight. Piastri leads his teammate by twenty-five points. Each are allowed to compete each other and with Max Verstappen still a significant sixty-nine in arrears, it is a head-to-head battle, with little to choose between them.

Drawing from Previous Champions

Formula One's most experienced and successful competitors know this scenario very clearly. In 2007, when Lewis Hamilton just failed to win winning the title in the final race at Brazil in his first year, it showed him the unique challenge of a title tilt.

“I remember the buildup to those races at the conclusion and the stress was present,” he stated. “That was not needed. If I knew then what I understand today, I would have easily won that title, I think. I've realized to avoid adding stress that’s unnecessary.”

Step Into the Cauldron

Step forward, Norris and Piastri, to the cauldron. The advantage thus far has swung from one to the other. Lando has five victories to Piastri's seven wins and the duo have scarcely missed the podium in a McLaren that has been the best on the grid. The Australian has been more consistent, with his British rival struggling to adapt to a reduced sensation for grip from the front axle. Nonetheless, they have excelled, the gap between them often only who could perform perfectly, across Saturday sessions and the grand prix.

Expensive Errors for Lando

In this aspect Norris has been found wanting, small errors were costly in China, more so after a disappointing Saturday in Bahrain and even more troubling when losing the points advantage after hitting the barriers in the qualifying session in Saudi Arabia. Then, most critically, over-eager in Montreal he collided with his teammate and retired, an enormous blow.

Piastri's Consistency and Small Errors

The young driver, especially in only his third season in F1, has been more at ease. For some time spinning out at the season opener in the rain in Melbourne was his only fault and one which was excusable in the unexpected downpour. Subsequently, the Australian was also overtaken and passed by an opportunistic Max at Imola, while his mistake and penalty for “erratic braking” under the safety car at the British Grand Prix denied him a likely win.

Latest Struggles in Baku

However, these were minor hiccups against a major incident at the previous race in Baku. In Baku, Piastri crashed out in qualifying leaving him in ninth position, only to compound it with a jump start, the car going into anti-stall and dropping him to the back of the field.

Trying to gain positions on the opening lap, he misread the grip and ended in the barriers, an uncharacteristic series of errors that he admitted he could cannot repeat in Singapore.

“Baku was a strong lesson of how rapidly things can turn around,” he said. “There's some lessons about how I can handle that more effectively and lessons on risk I guess is the most accurate description to put it. No major changes that needs to change or that I am going to adjust.”

Learning from Past Examples

Both drivers are, for all their talent, still refining their abilities in Formula One, a journey often traveled by other drivers on the starting lineup. The early stages of Lewis's career were outstanding, but he also committed his fair share of errors. Piastri could learn of Sakhir in 2008, the year the multiple title winner took his maiden championship but which was marked by other mistakes as he found himself in an intense fight with Felipe Massa.

On the grid in Bahrain he had not managed to properly configure the launch control on his McLaren and it went into anti-stall, relegating him down the grid. Shortly afterwards, trying to regain places, he clipped the rear of the Renault driver's car and had to pit with a damaged front wing. He finished 13th after a grand prix he described as “a catastrophe”.

Max's Initial Development

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

Max, too, took it on board, the inconsistency almost entirely eliminated when he began winning championships. “This has just been character-building,” he said at the moment. “In my career there have been periods of personal growth and this was another step. Occasionally, it is not enjoyable but at times you require it.”

Closing Observations

Norris and Piastri are not yet at the level of the multiple champions yet but they are facing the same pressure and absorbing the identical insights. As the legendary driver noted, the initial championship is always the hardest. Securing this championship out is the biggest challenge of their professional lives and will probably be decided by the one who can best handle the pressure.