Here's what Andrea Stella had to say about intra-team rivalry in McLaren F1.
McLaren F1 is ruling the grid in 2025. They are miles ahead of the competition with their superior machinery. Both McLaren drivers are competing for the championship with multiple podiums. The Papaya cars are accustomed to the front row and the podium finishes in almost every race.
As of the last race, the intra-team rivalry in McLaren F1 has not reached the point of no return. Both drivers are equally respectful. The team is also actively trying to create chances for each driver with their strategy and upgrades. Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris stand at a deuce in the team dynamics. The fact that none of the drivers have crashed into each other or created an unnecessary situation is also a positive for McLaren.
McLaren doesn’t have a clean record when it comes to teammates. They have some of the greatest intra-team rivalries in history of F1. McLaren F1’s recent pairing is equally talented and special. Both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are pushing each other to get better in the championship.
Until now, McLaren is adopting the philosophy to let them race. Zak Brown is not going to choose any one driver for the championship. McLaren is also running away with the constructors championship and is under no threat. Meanwhile, the teammates are jovial and cooperative with each other on track and there are no signs of discord.
Talking about their decisions in the future, Andrea Stella reveals-
“The briefing is not getting like tougher. The conversations are the same that we always have. Obviously when the two drivers start one next to each other and there is 800 metres to corner one, you might have to reiterate every detail of the way we go racing together, but so far I just can only be very grateful to Lando and Oscar, who have approached this internal competition with a great sense of responsibility and pretty much sticking to the letter to what are our racing principles and approach.”
Lando Norris was lagging behind Oscar Piastri until he won the Monaco Grand Prix. The two drivers are once again on equal footing in the championship and team dynamics. Stella’s words are a clear indication of McLaren’s attitude. The team is no hurry to sacrifice one of their drivers and rightly so. McLaren F1 are trying to let the teammates play out their battle fair and square. If all goes according to plan, Formula 1 might witness one of the best seasons in a long time.
