McLaren Method 1 driver Oscar Piastri has backed the crew’s finetuned method to letting the Australian and team-mate Lando Norris compete on an equal footing, hoping the squad can keep away from “inflicting some complications for ourselves that we did not want”.
Talking on the 2026 Autosport Awards, Stella reaffirmed the crew’s dedication to its equal driver coverage, though he prompt that after additional talks with the drivers the execution of it will be “streamlined.”
“There are various issues by which you’ll find methods of doing issues higher,” the Italian informed Motorsport.com. “Or, if we are able to discover a solution to do the identical, however in an easier method, in a extra streamlined method with much less work for everybody, then that shall be an vital enchancment for the longer term.”
Stella did not present specifics of how that will work, however there are at the least two essential examples over the course of the 2025 season the place McLaren arguably made life extra sophisticated for itself than essential, and made additional changes consequently.
One was the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, the place it requested Piastri to let Norris previous after a sluggish pitstop for the Briton, a call which Piastri strongly disagreed with and one he admitted nonetheless lingered on his thoughts throughout a disastrous weekend in Baku. The opposite is slapping Norris on the wrist for making contact with Piastri in Singapore, solely to then undo these personal “repercussions” on the subsequent occasion when Piastri was held extra answerable for their dash race conflict in Austin.
Chatting with reporters, together with Motorsport.com, on the official launch of McLaren’s MCL40, Piastri mentioned streamlining the crew’s racing ideas was a “clever choice” and hopes it is going to keep away from a number of the distractions from 2025.
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Photograph by: McLaren
“It should look totally different. As Andrea mentioned, streamlining it’s a clever choice to make,” Piastri mentioned concerning the crew’s coverage. “We most likely triggered some complications for ourselves that we did not have to at factors final yr. As a basic precept and a basic type of method of going racing, it does deliver a variety of positives with it, and it is nearly: how will we refine that to try to hold it to simply positives, principally.
“There was all the time much more made about it than really occurs and lots of people that type of assume with out figuring out the entire internal workings, a variety of issues seem in a different way to how they really are. [There will be] some tweaks for certain this yr, however I believe it is fairly clear that we nonetheless need to go racing as a lot as a crew as we are able to.”
Piastri insisted he received a “honest shot” final yr and says spending time at house in Australia has helped him reset and bounce again from dropping out within the 2025 world championship combat.
“Sure, I believe I received a good shot final yr and I am anticipating that to remain precisely the identical,” he mentioned. “That is undoubtedly to not say that sure issues might have been carried out higher final yr. I believe that was most likely clear for everybody watching. However for me, at no level have been there any unhealthy intentions, or any instances I questioned the intentions of issues.”
He added: “It was good to return to Australia and spend a while with my household and simply take a little bit of a step away from F1 and racing. The assist I had from being within the combat and the quantity of feedback I received about the way in which I am going about issues, was truthfully good to listen to.
“There are a variety of classes from final yr. And sure, the ending was a bit painful, however I believe you may deal with that in certainly one of two methods, both you may let it deliver you down, or offer you extra confidence and motivation for the longer term. And I believe with such a unique rule set as effectively, that is been an excellent avenue to channel any motivation that I gained over the low season.”
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