Oscar Piastri is not a recommendation from his manager Mark Webber on the handling of internal politics as he is free to drive Lando Norris with McLaren re-establishing its powerhouse hierarchy.
With one of the most complete driver line-ups, McLaren faced a conundrum last season as contenders for the team name.
McLaren broke the “papaya rules” after the Italian Grand Prix, where Piastri attacked Norris off the line before Norris lost position to eventual race winner Charles Leclerc.
Team principal Andrea Stella told the BBC that McLaren would “bias our support to Lando” while still maintaining the principle of “team interest always comes first.
“For us, the sportsmanship is in the way we run. And then we need to be fair to any of the drivers.
One race later, Piastri took advantage of Norris’ exit in Q1 to prepare for victory in the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, his second of two Grand Prix victories in the 2024 F1 championship.
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But with Norris still the preferred driver, Piastri moved over for his team-mate in the Brazilian Grand Prix Sprint, gifting Norris the victory.
It’s a favor that was rewarded later in the season when, after the race was over, Norris edged Piastri to victory in the sprint in Qatar. Norris finished second in the season standings, while Piastri finished fourth. McLaren won the constructors’ title with a 14-point lead. about Ferrari.
The Woking team is ready to fight for titles this year, and Piastri and Norris will have to beat Max Verstappen for the world title, which would be McLaren’s first since 2008.
This may simply mean a season of papaya regulations with ABC Sport asking Piastri if he had asked his manager Webber for a recommendation on handling “internal politics”.
“It’s not something I’m focused on,” the Australian driver said. “More focused on the race and the victory.
“I helped Lando and the team when they asked me towards the end of the year. I know that if the roles are reversed, I will get help too.
“Next year [2025], we’ll be free to compete against others. “
And Piastri has a not-so-simple purpose for the 2025 F1 season.
“Win,” he said.
And he added: “I’m thinking about next year. Winning will be the goal from day one.
“It’s going to be a fight, that’s for sure. Groups are groups for a reason and they’ll all have to come back to us in 2025. “
The 2025 campaign, which begins in March with the Australian Grand Prix, will be Piastri’s third season on the grid. While he inspired in his debut season, achieving two podiums and finishing in ninth place, Piastri’s performance last season showed notable expansion, as he took two wins, eight podiums and finished fourth in the standings.
“I’ve finished two seasons in F1, so it’s natural that I still have a lot of room to grow and improve,” he said. “That’s what I’m most excited about because I know there’s a lot more to come. “
“You can’t buy experience but I’m gradually gaining that in this category and I’m very excited for the future.”
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