F1 News

Andrea Stella perfect driver duo McLaren Norris and Piastri

Piastri and Norris perfect duo? 'They help each other get better'

4 October at 13:15
Last update 4 October at 15:14
1
  • GPblog.com

While other F1 teams might fear a heated internal battle with two fast and ambitious young drivers, McLaren is actually happy with the way Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris are making each other better. Team boss Andrea Stella explains.

'Piastri and Norris not fighting each other'

In an F1 team, it is valuable to distinguish between the two drivers to avoid an internal duel on the track. This can cost time during a race, this can save a lot of points in the championship and in the serious cases, in case of a crash, also a lot of money. Although rookie Piastri is developing perfectly in his debut year and may make things difficult for Norris in the future, team boss Stella is above all still pleased with his driver duo.

The team boss explains that Piastri is setting the bar high for Norris and that Norris is maturing. Stella: "“The more Oscar performs, the more Lando receives references from Oscar. That's how two drivers get the most out of each other [...] At no point have I had the impression that our two drivers were thinking, ‘I need to beat my teammate,’ which is a short-sighted approach to racing. Everyone understands that we are a team."

Norris and Piastri fundamental in path to McLaren success

Stella believes McLaren is on the right path to success. Piastri and Norris are fundamental factors on that path. "Lando has confirmed himself as one of the established top drivers in Formula 1 [...] I would also like to praise the qualities that not everyone gets to see – for example, his collaboration with Oscar. At no point has Lando thrown his [weight] around and said, 'Hey, I am the driver who has been here for four years.’ There has been parity between them, which has helped Oscar perform."

Finally, the team boss says Piastri is performing above expectations in 2023. Stella: "Oscar is very calm and focused on himself – he is not affected by what is happening around him. There is no external noise in his brain [...] At this stage of the season, I would say that his gradient of growth, performance, and delivery has exceeded expectations. We are very optimistic and encouraged by what we’ve seen, and we are happy with Oscar and happy that he is with us. He’ll help us to achieve important results."