Lando Norris said he was "nervous and excited" about a potential title fight with McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri following the Chinese Grand Prix. 

Piastri picked up his third career race win in Shanghai on Sunday, with Norris finishing in second to seal McLaren's 50th one-two in the competition. 

The result saw Piastri climb from ninth to fourth in the driver's championship over the weekend after finishing second to Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton in Saturday's sprint race. 

The Australian is now 10 points behind Norris in the standings, with Red Bull's Max Verstappen and Mercedes' George Russell in second and third respectively. 

McLaren have continued their dominance from last season, taking 78 points from the opening two races to lead the constructors' standings by 21 points to Mercedes.

Norris was favoured in 2024 over Piastri as he aimed to challenge Verstappen for the world title, but fell short as the Dutchman claimed a fourth consecutive title. 

The Briton emphasised that he and Piastri are determined to deal with the situation in a respectful manner to McLaren's overall philosophy, but by also putting the team's interests first.

"We were free to race. We're both excited - probably nervous and excited at the same time - as I'm sure the team will be. But we're ready," Norris said. 

"As much as we work together, and we have a good time and enjoy ourselves, we both know we want to try and beat each other and show who's best. And that's inevitable. 

"So there's no point trying to hide away from that fact or make something of it. "We're two competitors who both want to win. But we help each other out.

"I think we both achieved something better this weekend because of that fact. And we'll continue to do that."

A slay day in the office #McLaren | #ChineseGP pic.twitter.com/7CZjRZmrOb

— McLaren (@McLarenF1) March 23, 2025

McLaren team principal, Andrea Stella, believes both Norris and Piastri share the team's philosophy, but said McLaren would continue to learn together this season. 

"When it comes to the internal competition, in reality, we have tried to be ready for that for a long time now," said Stella.

"Like all the things in F1, it would be very arrogant to say: 'Oh, now we are ready, or we were ready.'

"You learn. The scenarios are very complex. They never manifest themselves in the same way.

"So you just have to continue learning, and like you do on performance, on reliability, on operations, you also do in the way you manage a team.

"For me, what's important is that the fundamental values that everyone brings to support the interest of the team is healthy and is according to our principles.

"We are very lucky with Oscar and Lando because it comes natural and, so far, the fact that we have Oscar and Lando for me is just a way of elevating the performance of the team and the internal competition.

"I'm sure there will be situations, but I'm also sure that they will be reviewed, and we will learn, and we will grow even more the way in which we protect the interests of the team."

The Formula One calendar takes a brief pause this weekend before the action resumes at the Japanese Grand Prix.