Andrea Stella was blown away by Oscar Piastri’s lightning-fast adaptation

Oscar Piastri was impressive in his first season in 2023. The Formula 2 champion in 2021 finished in 9th position in the driver standings. He accumulated 97 points and helped McLaren, alongside Lando Norris, to finish 4th ahead of Aston Martin in the constructor standings.

A great force of character

The start of the year has been very difficult for Oscar Piastri and McLaren. The MCL60 was not performing well at the beginning of the season. Both drivers of the British team struggled greatly on the track. However, after several very challenging races, the team started to achieve results. Oscar Piastri quickly bounced back and managed to stay close to his teammate in the standings. « Our analysis is that Oscar’s season has been simply exceptional, and when I say exceptional, I mean beyond our expectations », rejoiced Andrea Stella. « It is the speed at which he learns that, I think, makes him exceptional. And that applies to any scale, whether it is in a race or throughout the season. »

The character strength demonstrated by the 22-year-old driver is very impressive. Despite a difficult start, Oscar Piastri quickly found his form once McLaren improved. Furthermore, he was faced with a unique situation after committing to the McLaren team, while Alpine, for whom he was a reserve driver, wanted to give him a race seat. Not disturbed by the criticism and media frenzy surrounding his departure, Piastri showed a motivation and commitment that were highly appreciated by his team manager.

« Oscar is a very grounded person and so committed, praises Andrea Stella. « Working with him will focus more on what we need to do to confirm our season, a job that has actually already begun in terms of planning for the winter. »

A strong regularity

Throughout the season, Oscar Piastri has raised his level. If at the beginning of the season, nothing suggested anything positive for the rest of the year, the Australian managed to win a sprint race this season in Qatar, just ahead of Max Verstappen. « Perhaps one of the main explanations for his rapid growth is simply his personality beyond the driver», analyzes the McLaren director. « He is so calm, he knows how to maintain himself in his status where he can use all his talent. I don’t have that quality. I have to think about my psychology to actively maintain myself in the most productive state. For Oscar, it seems to come naturally or maybe he has worked on it throughout his young career, I don’t know, but it’s remarkable ».

Andrea Stella also made a very flattering comparison towards his young driver. « When I have seen great drivers, currently or in the past, they are all sometimes underperforming because they are not consistent », explained the Italian engineer. « They are unable to maintain their level when they give their best. I think for Oscar, it is completely natural. »

In 2023, it was Lando Norris who benefited primarily from the first improvements during the race. However, this did not prevent Oscar Piastri from winning a sprint, unlike his teammate.