In Formula 1, the final third of a season plays a similar role. Momentum swings, fatigue sets in, and every point carries weight far beyond its number.

This year, that back nine has a singular narrative: the championship duel inside McLaren.

With ten rounds to go—from Zandvoort through Abu Dhabi—Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are in a head-to-head battle for glory.

Max Verstappen may have been a dominant figure in recent seasons, but in 2025, the Dutchman trails Piastri by 97 points. In practical terms, the title fight is down to the Woking duo.

Every qualifying session, sprint race, and pit strategy call will shape the final outcome. This isn’t just team rivalry—it’s a championship in miniature.

History shows how decisive the back nine can be. McLaren themselves have seen their internal battles define seasons.

In 1988, Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost pushed each other across the final races, with Senna taking the crown. In 1989, Prost returned the favour, exploiting misfortune and political tension.

Fast forward to 2007, Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso’s ferocious intra-team clash imploded spectacularly, allowing Kimi Raikkonen to snatch the title at the finale.

Those closing chapters are where pressure tests character—and McLaren’s pair now faces that exact scenario.

Looking at the tracks ahead, patterns from the past two seasons underline who has the edge at each circuit.

At Zandvoort, Norris surged from seventh in 2023 to pole, fastest lap, and victory in 2024. Piastri, meanwhile, rose from ninth to fourth.

At Monza, Norris converted eighth into a podium, while Piastri jumped from 12th to second. Baku was Piastri’s signature turnaround: from 11th in 2023 to victory in 2024, a clear statement that he can steal races from the back of the grid.

Singapore reinforced McLaren’s dominance, with Norris claiming a commanding win and Piastri stepping from seventh to third. The US GP presented contrasts — Norris finished second in 2023, slipping to fourth in 2024, while Piastri recovered from a DNF to fifth.

Mexico City showed Norris climbing from fifth to second and Piastri holding steady in eighth. Sao Paulo’s results mixed highs and lows: Norris took pole and fastest lap, finishing sixth, while Piastri advanced from 14th to eighth, with sprint races adding nuance to their respective momentum.

Las Vegas highlighted resilience: Norris bounced back from a 2023 crash to sixth in 2024, while Piastri moved from 10th to seventh and also claimed fastest lap. Qatar offered a stage for Piastri’s sprint mastery, with double sprint victories and consistent top-three finishes reinforcing his strategic edge.

Abu Dhabi, meanwhile, showcased Norris’ ability to close seasons in style, winning and taking pole in 2024, while Piastri fell back slightly but had already cemented a season-long narrative of consistency.

On paper, Norris appears to hold the qualifying and outright pace advantage. Six poles and five fastest laps across these venues in 2024 underline his single-lap firepower. Piastri, however, brings composure and strategic intelligence, evidenced by sprint victories, a fastest lap in Vegas, and a championship lead that now gives him the psychological edge.

The 2025 season has shifted the balance — Piastri isn’t chasing history, he’s shaping it.

The psychological element cannot be overstated.

Internal duels test nerves, patience, and decision-making under pressure. Mistakes are magnified when your closest competitor is your teammate. Pit-stop calls, tyre strategies, and on-track battles take on double significance.

Every point dropped is not just a loss in the championship — it’s giving your rival a direct advantage. For McLaren, balancing intra-team competition while maximizing overall points will be as critical as the raw speed on the track.

As the calendar moves from Zandvoort through Monza, Baku, Singapore, Austin, Mexico, Sao Paulo, Las Vegas, Qatar, and finally Abu Dhabi, McLaren will face circuits that highlight different strengths.

Norris thrives on qualifying supremacy and high-speed rhythm, while Piastri excels in composure and remaining calm under pressure. The season’s finale will reward whichever driver can combine pace, consistency, and composure, track by track, lap by lap.

The back nine in 2025 isn’t about surprises or dark horses. It’s a war of attrition, skill, and psychological fortitude between two drivers who know each other intimately.

Max Verstappen’s 97-point gap leaves the focus squarely on McLaren. By the time the chequered flag falls in Abu Dhabi, the 2025 championship could well be decided by the nuances of teamwork, tire management, and split-second decisions made under immense pressure.

McLaren’s back nine promises one of the fiercest intra-team championship battles the sport has seen, and every race from here to Yas Marina will matter more than ever.