Why DRS proved key in the epic Norris/Piastri battle

At the Austrian Grand Prix, McLaren teammates Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri engaged in a thrilling battle for supremacy, even as both cars vied for victory. While Norris showcased clear dominance over Piastri in qualifying, where McLaren held a significant performance edge, their race day contest proved far tighter. Piastri relentlessly pursued Norris, closing to within 1.3 seconds on the penultimate lap. However, this close finish masked a deeper truth: Norris' inherent performance advantage over Piastri persisted throughout the race. The narrow gap was primarily due to the combined effects of DRS and battery power, which occasionally negated Norris' pace superiority.