Oscar Piastri, the Australian driver for McLaren, has made significant progress in improving his race management skills, according to Andrea Stella, the team’s Formula 1 boss. Stella praised Piastri’s development in the area of tire management, which was a weakness for him during his rookie season in F1. After a strong performance at the Australian Grand Prix, with Lando Norris finishing third and Piastri finishing fourth, Stella believes Piastri executed his race strategy well despite the challenges of tire graining.
Stella highlighted Piastri’s ability to identify and address his weaknesses before they become problems. He commended Piastri’s awareness of potential vulnerabilities going into each race weekend and his proactive approach to finding solutions. Stella emphasized that Piastri’s growth lies in his ability to anticipate and prevent problems, rather than reacting to them once they arise. This self-calibration exercise through experience is helping Piastri fine-tune his skills as a driver.
During the Australian Grand Prix, McLaren employed team orders to ensure Norris finished ahead of Piastri, despite Piastri briefly holding the third position. Stella explained that this decision was made to minimize the risk of a potential conflict between the two McLaren drivers, as he believed Norris would have overtaken Piastri naturally. This strategic move aimed to maximize the team’s overall performance.
McLaren has had a promising start to the 2024 season, currently sitting in third place in the Constructors’ Standings with 55 points after three rounds. This is a significant improvement compared to the challenging start they faced in the 2023 campaign, where they only accumulated 12 points. The team’s progress is evident, and Stella is optimistic about their continued success in the upcoming races.