McLaren’s Andrea Stella explained Oscar Piastri’s Japanese Grand Prix podium not only surprised fans, but also the entire Woking-based squad.
The Papaya outfit enjoyed its best result of the season last weekend in Suzuka. Piastri, who started his first Grand Prix of the season, picked up a second-place finish after leading the race in the opening stages.
The Australian looked on for a potential victory at the iconic circuit, but an ill-timed Safety Car left Piastri with second.
Importantly for McLaren, Piastri’s pace throughout the weekend was extremely promising, as he was continually matching the pace of both Mercedes drivers.
Despite potentially losing out on victory, the McLaren team boss was left in awe of Piastri’s ability to defend against the faster Mercedes.
“First of all, it’s a very positive day overall for the team,” Stella told media including, Motorsport Week.
“We were in condition to start the race with two cars, which is the first time this year. And we were in condition to complete the race.
We confirmed the progress that we saw yesterday in qualifying, progress that allowed Oscar to lead the race after a very good start.”
McLaren, the team that faced a double DNS last week, suddenly found themselves in a position to fight for their first race victory. Stella emphasised the shock in the garage during the first stint
“We were surprised ourselves. Especially at the end of the first stint, where we not only were able to keep Russell behind, but we were also opening the gap,” Stella highlighted
“So we thought that we should go first so that we could retain the lead because we wanted to give it a go at winning the race.”
Was a race win on the cards for Oscar Piastri in Suzuka?
Following Piastri’s disastrous start to 2026, both he and McLaren will leave Japan feeling content with their maiden 2026 podium. However, the obvious question still remains. Could Piastrri have claimed victory at the 2026 Japanese Grand Prix?
Well, Stella seemed skeptical on his driver’s chances against the fast-charging Kimi Antonelli.
“We will never know whether, without the safety car, it would have been possible or not,” Stella said.
“I think it would have been possible against Russell.
Antonelli, he had a faster pace than anybody else. So I think Antonelli, at some stage, would have competed for the victory.”
Despite the questions, the Team Principal highlighted that the team are focusing on the positives, rather than dwelling on the past.
“So we will not know whether Oscar could have won the race or not,” Stella explained.
“Ultimately, it doesn’t make a big difference. I think today we should just take the positives.”
This podium will be a much-needed and appreciated boost to the defending Constructors Champions, as they head into a prolonged series break. When Formula 1 resumes in May at the Miami Grand Prix, the team will be eager to match, if not beat, the Mercedes for their maiden victory of 2026.
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