The pecking order at McLaren has officially shifted after the Dutch Grand Prix. Lando Norris secured his second consecutive victory of the season at Zandvoort, cementing his position as the lead driver while Oscar Piastri limped home in sixth place, over 32 seconds down the road. It's a stark contrast to where these two stood just months ago, and former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher reckons the team hierarchy is now beyond any doubt.

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What makes it even more brutal for Piastri is the context. The Australian actually pulled off a Grand Chelem at this very circuit last year, so he can't blame the layout or circuit characteristics for his struggles. Instead, it's becoming clear that Norris has simply adapted better to F1's new generation of cars and regulations. The gap isn't down to luck or mishaps, it's pure pace, and that's the kind of thing that shifts driver market value overnight.

Speaking on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, Schumacher pointed out just how much Piastri's stock has plummeted this season. A year ago, any top team hunting for a championship-winning team leader would've jumped at the chance to sign him. Now? That conversation has completely changed. Red Bull were reportedly interested before Max Verstappen's contract situation worked itself out, but Schumacher reckons the timing worked out nicely for them given how things have unfolded.

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Don't get Schumacher wrong though, he's not writing off Piastri entirely. The guy's still incredibly quick and doesn't make careless mistakes. It's just that he's currently trailing Norris, and in F1, that's what counts in the eyes of team principals and rival outfits. The pundit did add a caveat though, suggesting car development could flip the script depending on which direction the team takes their setup and improvements over the rest of the season.

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For now though, Oscar Piastri sits firmly as McLaren's number two. Whether that status sticks depends on what happens over the remaining rounds, but after back-to-back dominant performances from Norris, the reigning world champion is clearly the one calling the shots at the team. It's a brutal reminder of how quickly fortunes shift in this sport.

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