Andrea Stella explains why Lando Norris is currently excelling, while Oscar Piastri is still learning to cope with the difficult grip conditions in Brazil.
McLaren team boss Andrea Stella explained the reasons behind the differing performances of his two drivers after qualifying in São Paulo. While Lando Norris is in strong form and will start from pole position in Brazil, Oscar Piastri continues to struggle with the unique grip conditions at the Autódromo José Carlos Pace.
“Oscar has been very fast and very competitive from day one,” says Stella. “His feedback on the car is completely different from Mexico or Austin—we were in a really good position. But today there was significantly less grip than yesterday. The lap times were noticeably slower, and it was more difficult to put a lap together.”
According to Stella, the conditions require a special driving style that is more reminiscent of the races in Austin and Mexico. “Oscar is currently learning this technique and internalizing it. However, it may take some time before he can implement it completely naturally—especially when you don’t know exactly how much grip there is at every corner. The wind also plays a big role, which even caught Lando out on his first attempt in Q3.”
Stella: It just comes more naturally to Lando
Stella emphasizes that the current conditions suit Norris better. “For Lando, driving with low grip just comes more naturally. It’s normal for him to control the car even when it’s sliding, so that he ends up with a good lap time,” explains the Italian. ” In the last three races, we’ve had low-grip conditions almost throughout – you have to get the car to do what you want while it’s sliding.“
For Piastri, this is part of a normal learning process. ”We know that Oscar learns at lightning speed,“ says Stella. ”That’s why I’m sure we’ll see a strong race from him tomorrow.”
Stella is not surprised that the young Australian is still struggling with these conditions: “He has never experienced similar conditions over such a long sequence. It is unusual for the tires and grip to behave as they have in the last three events. Not on the first day here in Brazil, but on the second it was the same again: little grip, you really have to actively force the car through the corners.”
Lando Norris shows the fruits of his development
While Piastri is learning, Norris is currently experiencing the peak of a long development phase. The Brit not only impressed in Mexico and Austin, but also in Brazil with confident performances in the sprint and qualifying.
“What we see in Lando is the ability to fully exploit his potential – both as a driver and as a person,” says Stella. “He has developed in his approach, his resilience and his handling of pressure. That’s crucial when it comes to a world championship.”
Stella points to the detailed work that Norris and the team have done in recent months. “We go down to the smallest detail—even things like, ‘Do we keep the delta time on the steering wheel display or not?’ Everything is systematically checked until we find the best combination of all factors.”
The team boss recalls that Norris also struggled with the car in the past. “At the beginning of the season, we had similar conversations with him—it was about understanding what the front tires were doing, where the limits of grip were, when the car would tip into oversteer. That was a lot of work. And at that time, Lando was the one at the back of the learning curve.”
Stella: The difference lies in the last percent
For Stella, the situation at McLaren exemplifies how close the field is in the current Formula 1 season. “The differences lie in the last percent,” he says. “Oscar is only driving here in Brazil for the third time—and every year the conditions are different. On top of that, the field of drivers is more competitive than ever. I don’t remember there ever being seven or eight drivers who are all at world championship level.”
This extraordinary density means that even the smallest differences in driving feel or technology can be decisive. “The new generation is incredibly well trained,” says Stella. “They have data from an early age, they train at the highest level—as a result, the overall level is brutally high.”
Despite everything, the McLaren team boss sees no cause for concern in Piastri’s development. “He learns quickly, he understands what the car needs, and he works on it with discipline. It’s only a matter of time before he shines just as brightly as Lando in these conditions.”