Oscar Piastri, a Formula 1 racer for McLaren, expressed support for the team’s refined strategy of allowing him and his teammate, Lando Norris, to compete fairly. He hopes this approach will help the team circumvent “unnecessary complications.”
During the 2026 Autosport Awards, Stella confirmed the team’s dedication to its policy of treating drivers equally, noting that following discussions with the drivers, its implementation would be “simplified.”
“Numerous aspects can be enhanced,” the Italian informed Autosport. “Alternatively, if we can achieve the same results through a more straightforward, efficient method, requiring less effort from everyone, that would represent a significant step forward.”
Stella did not detail the exact mechanics of this new process, yet there were at least two key instances during the 2025 season where McLaren arguably created undue complexity for itself, leading to subsequent modifications.
An example occurred at the Italian Grand Prix in Monza, when Piastri was instructed to yield to Norris after the Briton experienced a slow pit stop. Piastri voiced strong opposition to this call, acknowledging its persistence in his thoughts during a difficult weekend in Baku. Another instance involved reprimanding Norris for colliding with Piastri in Singapore, only for these private “consequences” to be reversed at the subsequent event, where Piastri was deemed more accountable for their sprint race incident in Austin.
Addressing journalists, including those from Autosport, at the formal introduction of McLaren’s MCL40, Piastri commented that refining the team’s racing guidelines was a “sensible choice” and expressed optimism that it would prevent some of the diversions experienced in 2025.
Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Photo by: McLaren
“The approach will change. As Andrea noted, simplifying it is a prudent move,” Piastri stated regarding the team’s directive. “Last year, we likely created some avoidable difficulties. Fundamentally, this racing philosophy offers many advantages; the challenge is to perfect it to maximize only those benefits.”
“Far more attention was always given to it than warranted, and many individuals form opinions without full knowledge of the internal processes, causing perceptions to diverge from reality. Certainly, there will be adjustments this year, but it’s evident that our goal remains to compete as a cohesive team to the fullest extent possible.”
Piastri affirmed that he received an “equitable opportunity” last year and credits his time in Australia with his family for helping him recover and regain focus after missing out on the 2025 world championship title.
“Indeed, I believe I had a fair chance last year, and I anticipate that remaining unchanged,” he remarked. “This doesn’t imply that certain aspects couldn’t have been handled more effectively last year; I think that was evident to all observers. However, personally, I never perceived any malicious intent or doubted the underlying motives.”
He further mentioned: “Returning to Australia to spend time with my family and detach somewhat from F1 and racing was very pleasant. The encouragement I received while competing, and the volume of feedback on my approach, was genuinely gratifying.”
“Last year provided many learning opportunities. While the conclusion was somewhat difficult, I believe one can interpret it in two ways: either allow it to demoralize you, or let it fuel greater confidence and drive for what lies ahead. Given the significantly altered regulatory framework, it’s served as an excellent channel to direct the motivation I accumulated during the break.”
