McLaren's Team Principal, Andrea Stella, has highlighted the evolution of Lando Norris as a "leading driver" this season. Stella praises Norris for his ability to pull the team forward and not solely rely on the team's support. Additionally, Stella discusses how Norris and newcomer Oscar Piastri have been working together to exploit the potential of the car, with both drivers providing consistent feedback and using similar terminology.
Norris, who is in his fifth season in Formula 1, joined McLaren as a rookie in 2019. However, this is the first year where he holds the position of the most experienced driver within the team. Previously, Norris had partnered with Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo. Stella points out that with this new role, Norris has taken on a more prominent leadership position, actively working to push the team's performance forward.
"Lando is definitely evolving towards more of a leading position, not only as the leading driver, but as a driver who tries to pull the team along," Stella said. This shift in Norris's approach is evident in his ability to provide valuable input and guidance, rather than simply relying on the team's support.
Stella also highlights the positive impact of Oscar Piastri's arrival at McLaren. Piastri, who replaced Ricciardo at the start of the 2023 season, has proven to be a quick and competitive driver. Stella explains how having a driver as quick as Piastri allows the team to exploit the full potential of the car. This collaboration between Norris and Piastri allows them to share insights and strategies to improve their performance on the track.
The Team Principal further emphasizes the similarity in feedback and communication between Norris and Piastri. Not only do they use the same terminology during offline debriefings, but they also consistently provide similar comments after their runs. Stella points out the importance of this consistency for the engineers, as it provides a clear direction for setup and development.
Stella acknowledges the team's past mistakes with Ricciardo and reveals that they have implemented a significant learning process to ensure the same errors are not repeated with Piastri. He explains the importance of continuous improvement and self-criticism in Formula 1 and how this approach has helped the team grow.
"Having worked with different drivers, having gone through highs and lows, what's important in this sport is that every day you are better than yesterday," Stella said. The team has embraced a culture of learning and self-reflection, drawing from their experiences with previous drivers to better support Piastri and continuously improve their engineering practices.
In conclusion, Lando Norris's evolution as a "leading driver" at McLaren is evident this season. He has embraced a more proactive role within the team, working to pull them forward rather than solely relying on their support. The partnership between Norris and Oscar Piastri has also proven to be beneficial, as they are able to communicate effectively and provide consistent feedback. With a culture of continuous improvement and learning, McLaren aims to make progress each day and avoid repeating past mistakes.
