Andrea Stella reflected on the changes in the dynamic at McLaren between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris and revealed his concerns heading into the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Throughout 2025, Piastri and Norris went head-to-head to fight for their maiden titles. Piastri had the advantage early on, but as the season progressed, that slipped away from the Australian and made room for the Brit to get ahead.
The battle wasn’t without conflict, with the duo fighting and the media frequently pushing the duo on how the relationship was unfolding behind the scenes.
However, the two remained steadfast when speaking about the dynamic and how they pushed each other to be better. Although Stella admitted that coming into the new regulations, he was concerned about the lasting impact of that battle.
Stella believed that, if anything, the relationship was strengthened by the tensions of 2025; he said, “Another aspect I’m really enjoying about our drivers is the way they’re working together.”
“It wasn’t a given that, after last year – when they found themselves battling for the world title right up to the final race – the harmony they’d built would remain intact.
“Yet not only has this not changed, but the relationship between them and with the team has actually become even stronger.”
Norris taking the WDC
Stella expected Norris wouldn’t let the previous season affect the dynamic, as he was the one who came out with the maiden World Championship title. Yet, he admitted that Piastri has been equally as eager to push the team forward to more success.
“And whilst this might, in a sense, have been expected of Lando – given that he was ultimately the one to become champion – it was not quite so predictable for Oscar, who, instead, has relied even more heavily on the team to accelerate his development, both on and off the track.”
2026 has left the duo in a different spot, with McLaren trailing the frontrunners under the overhaul of regulations. They’ve begun to climb up the order with upgrades in the round before summer break but still sit a few steps back.
Heading into the second half of the season, they’ll hope that they can further close the gap and recreate more weekends like Norris’ victory in Hungary.
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