One year after a tense on-track moment between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at the 2024 Formula 1 Hungarian Grand Prix, McLaren says it has formalised its “racing approach” to prevent a repeat.
Team principal Andrea Stella detailed how the team has grown — not just in performance, but in managing race scenarios — with both drivers playing an integral role in shaping a more transparent and disciplined way of operating.
The incident at the Hungaroring saw Piastri leap into the lead at the start by overtaking polesitter Norris.
McLaren then pitted Norris first to defend against a potential undercut from Lewis Hamilton, allowing Norris to jump ahead once Piastri made his stop. When the team asked Norris to give the position back, he initially refused.
However, he eventually relented, prioritising team harmony over individual title ambitions — a choice McLaren encouraged by urging him to be a team player.
As the team prepares for Sunday’s race, the 54-year-old highlighted how both drivers and McLaren have thoroughly analysed the events from last year’s Hungarian GP.
“Since last year in Hungary, to me it looks like it was ten years ago in terms of how much has happened from a racing point of view,” Stella began, speaking to media including Motorsport Week.
“How much has happened in terms of the rate of development of the team, growth of the team, in a way the results that we have been able to achieve since then.
“But as part of this journey, there is also a journey that has to do with improving our way of going racing, what we call the racing approach.
“We have reviewed extensively one year ago the race here in Hungary, and then we kept this diligent, rigorous approach to reviewing and learning, and we have as much as possible formalised everything that we have learned into our racing approach.”
Drivers’ values shape McLaren’s evolving racing philosophy
Stella also highlighted the crucial role both drivers have played in shaping McLaren’s evolved racing philosophy.
“The thing that makes me most proud is that Lando and Oscar have always contributed very genuinely, very honestly, very transparently, just bringing their values into the way we go racing,” he explained.
“So we have gone our own way. I think we have established a pretty robust platform in terms of how we go racing.
“We are going to be challenged because racing in Formula 1 is difficult. But so far, and as a reminder of the season, I am really proud and happy with the way we have been going racing and with the way in which Lando and Oscar have sustained the journey of the team.”
Last year’s race marked a major milestone for Piastri — as he claimed his maiden F1 victory and has since racked up seven more wins and taken the championship lead for the first time this season.
Currently, he holds a 16-point advantage over his team-mate and will start Sunday’s race ahead of him, positioned just behind polesitter Charles Leclerc on the front row, as he looks to extend his lead before the summer break.
READ MORE — Why Oscar Piastri labelled McLaren’s F1 Hungarian GP qualifying loss to Ferrari ‘bizarre’
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