McLaren CEO Zak Brown “couldn’t be happier” with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, whose focus is helping lead a two-pronged Formula 1 title tilt.
The Woking-based F1 outfit emerged as the stand-out candidate from pre-season testing in Bahrain and across two rounds has delivered on that promise for one win apiece between Norris and Piastri.
McLaren’s MCL39 is clearly the fastest car in the field, but it has proved tricky to tame, particularly in qualifying, where both Norris and Piastri delivered to secure a front row lockout in the Australian season-opener, before the former converted a pressure-cooker brace victory.
Brown hailed the mindset with which Norris and Piastri returned with after the off-season to help deliver on McLaren’s promising potential.
“Our drivers disappear in January—we give them January off—and [Lando] and Oscar came back in fantastic,” Brown told select media, including Motorsport Week, in Shanghai.
“You could just tell they’ve been very focused, training, very engaged with the racing team to understand the developments on the car, because we have quite a bit of innovation on the car.
“We’ve definitely not just polished last year’s car and continued.
“And just kind of the way [Norris is] carrying himself. In Australia he felt very in control.
“Lots of pressure on you when you’ve got your teammate and Max [Verstappen] in your DRS when you have those conditions, and I think there were three or four restarts.
“He was just very in control. The team was great.
“He knew what he wanted. He knew when to listen and just felt like a very mature drive in what were very tricky conditions.”
Brown hails ‘cool’ character Piastri
Norris prevailed amid mixed conditions and late Verstappen pressure to win in Melbourne, whereas Piastri tripped up during a late rain shower, costing him an almost guaranteed home race podium.
But Brown was delighted with how Piastri dealt with that setback, praising the Australian’s “cool” character.
“He always comes very prepared,” Brown said.
“He’s got a very cool mindset—always. I think that’s one of the things that makes him so strong.
“Very impressed with Oscar—have been from day one. Hence signing him up to a longer-term deal so we could have stability in our team and just let everyone focus on racing.
“I think he drove a brilliant race in Australia. Great recovery from an unfortunate incident.
“Yeah, couldn’t be happier with my two drivers.”
Piastri put his Melbourne misery firmly in the rearview mirror to convert his maiden GP pole position into a fine race victory in China, while Norris recovered from a difficult start to the weekend to complete McLaren’s 50th 1-2.
The Norris/Piastri partnership is locked in long-term at McLaren and Brown’s enthusiasm towards his two drivers is so far reflected in results.
Norris leads the Drivers’ standings with 44 points, 11 ahead of fourth-placed Piastri with McLaren sitting pretty atop the Constructors’ with 78 points, a 21-point advantage over second-placed Mercedes.
Norris was adamant at the end of 2024 that this year would be his chance to deliver both championships for McLaren and his form, along with Piastri’s in what is currently the dominant car looks set to deliver on that promise.
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