McLaren has batted away suggestions that Oscar Piastri’s recent upturn in form is beginning to unsettle Formula 1 team-mate Lando Norris.
Norris has gotten the better of rookie Piastri in their first season together at McLaren, sitting 53 points clear in the drivers’ standings.
But Piastri is growing in confidence after a run of strong results, scoring back-to-back podiums in Japan and Qatar, as well as winning from pole in the sprint race at the Losail International Circuit.
While Piastri took advantage of McLaren’s competitiveness in Qatar, Norris was left frustrated to have not maximised his chances of a better result after mistakes in qualifying.
Despite recovering from 10th on the grid to third behind Piastri, Norris was critical of his own performance, knowing he let an opportunity slip to score a better result.
But McLaren team boss Andrea Stella is not concerned Piastri’s rapid progress is starting to unsettle Norris, believing it will only motivate him to do better.
“Lando knows himself that Oscar is a unique talent – you don’t see these kinds of talents in Formula 1 every day,” said Stella, as quoted by Motorsport.com.
“So he’s an absolute reference, even if he’s a rookie, and at times Lando knows that he will set the bar very high.
“But if you are a champion like Lando is, you will have to take that from a positive point of view because he gives you so much information to keep improving.
“There’s no champion in the world in any sport that wins everything, or as a driver is faster in every corner, faster every lap, and faster every session.
“So for me, Lando sees this as a bit of discomfort, but it’s the discomfort you need to become the best in a way. It’s a curse and blessing to be a champion.”
Norris is known to be very self critical of himself if his performances fall short of his expectations, but Stella insists this won’t have a detrimental impact on him but rather teach him to find the right balance needed to perform at a high level.
“Lando is such an honest person, and I think he perpetuates this honesty in every kind of relationship, including the one with himself,” added Stella.
“I think he wants to make sure that if he gets it wrong, he gets it from the honesty point of view. He doesn’t want to look arrogant, he doesn’t want to look like he is not acknowledging that he could have done better.
“But, at the same time, like I said before about champions, you need to find the right balance. And you need to find the right dynamics, in terms of communication to the world and in terms of communication to yourself, to put yourself in the position to perform today, and in the position to keep improving every day.
“So I think even how harsh he was on himself, especially following the qualifying on Friday, there will be an element of review. And this review will happen very honestly.
“And he will calibrate over time to see, how tough do I really have to be with myself? What is the target here? To be faster in every single corner, in every single lap, in every single session, or just be the best, which doesn’t imply all the rest?
“So I think there’s a bit of a journey for Lando, and it will be for Oscar, and it’s for each of us in the team.”
