McLaren reveals why Norris shined while Piastri struggled in Mexico

12:53, 01 Nov

byKada Sarkozi

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has explained the differences between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri’s driving styles that helped the Briton deliver a dominant performance in Mexico City.

"In a way, these special low-grip conditions, they fit perfectly his (Norris') natural way of extracting lap time, which is almost like opposite to Oscar's characteristics."

- Andrea Stella

Thanks to his first win since the Hungarian Grand Prix, Norris also moved into the lead of the drivers’ championship. Currently, just a single point separates the two McLaren teammates.

According to the Italian team boss, the Briton's style was perfectly suited to the conditions in Mexico.

He said after the race: "It's not the first time I feel that Lando exhibits performances at this level. I think he was just essentially fastest in every single session.

"He was able to capitalize on the performance and the strength of the car. In a way, these special low-grip conditions, they fit perfectly his natural way of extracting lap time, which is almost like opposite to Oscar's characteristics.

"I think it will just strengthen Lando's confidence and it will be important for the final four races."

Photo: Race Pictures

Stella praises Piastri for bouncing back

Piastri, on the other hand, endured a more difficult weekend. According to Stella, the Australian made strong improvements from Saturday to Sunday on a circuit that proved challenging for his driving style both at COTA and again at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez.

He explained: "You have to drive the car in a way that adapts to the fact that the car slides a lot and can slide and produce lap time. And this is not necessarily the way in which Oscar feels naturally that he's producing lap time.

"We identified a few things that we could do with the car and a few things that he could do with the car and a few things that he could do with the driving.

"Oscar should be very proud of himself, of how he has handled the transition [from Saturday to Sunday]. We could see in the race that he was applying this," Stella praised his driver, acknowledging that Piastri couldn't show his full potential because of being in traffic for the majority of the race."

He added: "It's important for Oscar that we go through this kind of experience in which we learn new tools to add to the toolbox because that's how you become the most complete version of a Formula 1 driver.

"This is also important for the next four races in which we're going to find again different conditions so we need to be ready for all of them but I think Oscar should be very proud and happy with this race today."

McLaren can be confident moving forward

Currently, Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen also remains in the title hunt, trailing Norris by 36 points.

Heading into the final four rounds of the campaign, Stella believes both Norris and Piastri — as well as the entire McLaren team — can be confident.

The Italian concluded: "I think both Lando and Oscar go into the final four races with reasons to be confident and I think the team also go into the final four races with more understanding of how to extract performance from the car consistently."

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