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If it weren't already a sweltering sauna in Singapore, the growing pressure of this year's Formula One title fight would be sufficient to make even the toughest competitor struggle. Withstanding the stress may prove the deciding factor between the team's Lando Norris and Piastri as the title battle ratchets up with each grand prix.

This Title Fight Remains Extremely Close

Including this weekend's race in Marina Bay, seven grands prix remain and the title race is extremely tight. Piastri leads his teammate by twenty-five points. Both are free to race each other and with Max Verstappen still a significant 69 in arrears, it is a direct battle, with very little separating between them.

Learning from Previous Champions

F1's most experienced and successful drivers know this situation all too well. In 2007, when Hamilton narrowly missed winning the title in the final race at Interlagos in his first year, it showed him the unique challenge of a championship fight.

“I remember the buildup to those races at the conclusion and the stress was present,” he said. “That was unnecessary. If I knew then what I know now, I would have easily won that title, I think. I've realized to avoid adding pressure that’s unneeded.”

Welcome the Pressure Cooker

Welcome then, Norris and Piastri, to the intense environment. The upper hand so far has shifted between them. Norris has five victories to Oscar's seven and the duo have scarcely missed the podium in a McLaren that has been the class of the field. Piastri has been steadier, with his British rival struggling to adapt to a lack of feel for grip from the front tires. Nonetheless, they have dominated, the difference separating them often only which could deliver perfectly, across Saturday sessions and the grand prix.

Costly Mistakes for Lando

In this aspect the British driver has been lacking, small errors were damaging in Shanghai, more so after a poor qualifying in Bahrain and even more troubling when surrendering the points advantage after crashing out in qualifying in Jeddah. Then, most critically, over-eager in Canada he hit his teammate and retired, an enormous blow.

Oscar's Steadiness and Minor Errors

The young driver, especially in just his third year in F1, has been more comfortable. For a while spinning out at the season opener in the rain in Albert Park was his sole error and one which was forgivable in the unexpected downpour. Later, the Melbourne native was also overtaken and passed by an alert Max at Imola, while his mistake and penalty for “unpredictable slowing” under the yellow flag at the British Grand Prix cost him a likely win.

Recent Struggles in Azerbaijan

However, these were small issues against a major incident at the previous race in Baku. In Azerbaijan, the McLaren driver crashed out in the qualifying session leaving him ninth on the grid, only to compound it with a false start, the car entering anti-stall and dropping him to the back of the field.

Trying to gain places on the first lap, he misread the traction and finished in the wall, an uncharacteristic series of errors that he acknowledged he could ill afford in this weekend's race.

“Azerbaijan was quite a good reminder of how quickly everything can change,” he said. “There are takeaways about how I can deal with that better and lessons on risk I guess is the most accurate description to put it. No major changes that require to be altered or that I am going to change.”

Gaining from Past Examples

Both drivers are, for all their ability, still refining their abilities in F1, a journey well trodden by other drivers on the grid. The opening years of Lewis's career were outstanding, but he also committed his fair share of mistakes. Piastri could take note of Bahrain in 2008, the year the multiple title winner took his maiden championship but which was characterized by additional errors as he found himself in an intense fight with Felipe Massa.

On the starting grid in Manama he had not managed to correctly set the start procedure on his McLaren and it went into anti-stall, dropping him down the grid. Shortly afterwards, chasing places, he clipped the back of the Renault driver's Renault and had to pit with a broken front wing. He came 13th after a grand prix he called as “a catastrophe”.

Verstappen's Initial Development

Similarly the Dutch driver's early career were defined by errors as he gained experience. After one costly crash in Monte Carlo in 2018 then team principal Christian Horner publicly demanded his racer to demonstrate more discipline.

Verstappen, also, accepted the advice, the inconsistency almost entirely eliminated when he started claiming championships. “This has just been a learning experience,” he remarked at the time. “Throughout my life there have been periods of character-building and this was another step. Occasionally, it is not enjoyable but sometimes you need it.”

Final Thoughts

The McLaren teammates are not yet at the level of the multiple champions so far but they are facing the identical stress and learning the same lessons. As Niki Lauda observed, the initial championship is invariably the most difficult. Closing this one out is the greatest test of their careers and will probably fall to the one who can best handle the heat.