<pMcLaren team principal Andrea Stella, who has experience working with world champions like Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso, and Kimi Raikkonen during his time at Ferrari, recently praised the current McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. He affirmed that both drivers are performing at a level worthy of competing for the Formula 1 drivers’ world championship this season.
We have two drivers, which to the standards that even myself in my career I’ve been close to, driving with multiple world champions,
Stella said after the Belgian Grand Prix.
I think Lando and Oscar are operating at that level, at the level of deservedly being in contention for the drivers’ world championship.
Piastri Maintains Championship Lead After Victory in Belgium
Oscar Piastri secured his sixth win of the season ahead of teammate Lando Norris at the Belgian Grand Prix. Piastri overtook the polesitter early on during the green-flag laps following a Safety Car start in wet conditions. Despite Norris reducing his deficit from over nine seconds to just more than three in the final laps, Piastri held firm to increase his championship lead to 16 points.
There is very, very little between our two drivers, and this is because the two drivers are racing at a very, very high level,
Stella added.
We are lucky at McLaren to have two drivers that deservedly are fighting for the world championship.
He emphasized that in such a closely contested battle, the outcome will hinge on precision and flawless execution.
Challenges with Race Execution and Strategy
Stella reflected on recent challenges faced by both drivers, including issues that affected their race performance. He referenced an incident at Silverstone where a Safety Car start and subsequent penalty impacted Piastri’s chances of winning. He noted that the characteristics of certain circuits, like Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium, complicate the defending driver’s ability to hold position, especially during high-speed restarts.
And somehow here, we saw that somehow related to the circuit characteristic like we said before, it would have always been very difficult for Lando to keep the position starting first at the Safety Car restart.
Stella also acknowledged Norris’ mid-race complaints about energy deployment issues, attributing the problem to a minor battery anomaly affecting both McLaren cars. Despite these challenges, the inherent difficulty for the lead driver to maintain speed through the first sector remained a significant factor.
It’s very difficult for the car that leads the pack to actually arrive first in Turn 5.
Regarding tyre choices, Stella confirmed that Norris selected the hard compound tyres, contrasting with Piastri’s medium tyres. Norris chose not to pit immediately behind Piastri and had hoped to finish stronger, but some on-track mistakes cost valuable time.
The choice was open. Lando had a couple of lock-ups in Turn 1 and also a little oversteering in Turn 9 that cost him time,
Stella explained.
I think this overall prevented us from having an interesting battle possibly at the end, but in fairness, even Oscar had a couple of times in Turn 1 a little bit of a time loss.
It’s very difficult when you push so much in these conditions, it’s very difficult to always drive within the limit of the grip.
Stella Embraces the Pressure of a Fierce Internal Championship Fight
As the intense championship contest between Piastri and Norris continues to escalate, Andrea Stella has made it clear that he welcomes the challenge and the pressures that come with managing two drivers of this caliber battling for the title.
I’m not really interested in being comfortable,
he said, expressing his willingness to face the demanding nature of this rivalry head-on.
With such a close points race and both drivers showing exceptional skill, McLaren’s season remains highly competitive. The team’s ability to manage this internal conflict while supporting their drivers’ pursuit of the world championship will be crucial in the remaining races.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Is number 13 banned in F1?
A. Yes, using the number 13 is permitted. Pastor Maldonado started using #13 when F1 introduced the permanent number system in 2014. Despite some cultures viewing it as unlucky, drivers in F1 can choose their own numbers.
Q. Which F1 driver has ADHD?
A. Lewis Hamilton’s experiences with ADHD and dyslexia have influenced his life both in racing and beyond. His journey changes the understanding of success in F1 and highlights the importance of acknowledging learning differences.
Q. Is 69 allowed in F1?
A. F1 drivers can pick a permanent number for their race car. They can choose any number from 2 to 99, but not 17. This number remains with them for their entire F1 career.