McLaren sees important investment is paying off amid title battle

Defending world champion Max Verstappen, who is currently in third place, is now 97 points behind the current championship leader Oscar Piastri, sitting in third place in the standings.

Andrea Stella sees that the relationship of his two drivers has only changed for the better while competing for their first crown in the competition.

"If anything, the relationship between Oscar and Lando keeps improving. This is not the effect of a random evolution. This is because we invest in relationships. When I refer to fundamentals of Formula One, relationships are probably slightly less tangible, but I think they are as fundamental as aerodynamics," he explained the Woking-based team's approach.

The previous season, Oscar Piastri was on course to take his first ever victory at the Hungaroring in 2024, but after the pit stops, he found himself behind Norris. Over the team radio, the Briton was then asked to return the position.

"This involves the relationship between drivers and the team and between the drivers themselves. If I take the race we had last year in Hungary, we spent quite a lot of time reviewing that individually with the drivers and together. We tried to learn from each other as much as possible. We reminded ourselves that Formula 1 is difficult, and we are always going to face some difficulties. This is an awareness we need to have," Stella continued.

"From there, what can we do to improve? What can we do as a team to make sure we have a framework that allows Lando and Oscar to pursue their aspirations, always protecting the interests of the team," he continued.

The Italian also praised his drivers. "Once again, I'm a lucky team principal because the two drivers are very reasonable, very fair, very correct, humble, and above all, they understand that we are here not only to pursue our interest in the present but also to protect the future of their own careers and of McLaren Racing."