McLaren racing engineer Tom Stallard recommended that he will keep it happy to keep Oscar Piatri on his protégé on his protégé on the Bahrain International Circuit at the Bahrain International Circuit at night. “Gladly”, he also replied promptly, “if the pump system worked.” The Australian also drove just as short, concise and painless. After the second victory in the fourth Formula 1 race of the season, he is on the other hand to become a World Cup leader, and he has long been a not particularly secret favorite. He is only three points behind Lando Norris, who actually seems predestined for the successor of Max Verstappen. But the Brit is currently taking one of its many crises. The contrast between the two McLaren teammates could not be greater, which makes this duel a little more explosive.
The different characters could hardly have been visible more drastically than on the desert island. Piatri can snap off his aggressiveness at the crucial moment. That brought him to the pole position for the second time in Sakhir. And even in the race, he was able to ward off the urgent Mercedes pilot George Russell in the only critical moment after the start, in which he just stayed cool. The British boulevard, who tends to be committed to compatriot Norris, naturally promptly suggests the Oscar maturity to the 24-year-old Australian.
:Piatri wins – Norris fails double success
While Red Bull and Ferrari continue to weaken, the driver’s duel at McLaren is coming to a head: Next Sunday is about the World Cup tour-and the team in front.
In fact, Piatri is already in the promising position after his 50th Grand Prix race, for which the then German McLaren team boss Andreas Seidl had recessed to Alpine. The French had introduced the talent as a new driver for 2023, and Piatri had already signed with the British. The reason for the secret sides at the time is typical: he lacked clarity at Alpine.
The lack of clarity also describes the current state of mind of his rival Lando Norris. “Something just doesn’t click,” said the 25-year-old. Norris is considered the driver in the field, who tries to motivate himself with the help of his self -doubt. After the Piatri intended as number two is superior to him in the same car and came close to three World Cup points in the overall ranking, the self-casseration also seems appropriate. The Brit is in a real crisis, so he feels like his buddy Max Verstappen. The Dutch, desperate on his Red Bull racing car, recently said that he would drive away if he was sitting in a McLaren.
In any case, Lando Norris doesn’t seem to have her nerves for it. Only the sixth best qualification round in Bahrain, which he summarized with the assessment: “As if I had never sat in a Formula 1 car.” The false start in the race when he was rolled beyond his start box. The unsuccessful attempt to get past George Russell in the wound silver arrow at the end of the race. Then he sat on the couch for the interviews and had to admit: “I wish I knew an answer to all of this.”
Piatri was 0.185 seconds per round faster than him. Even about his victory in Melbourne, Norris complained: “Everything is completely different than last year. I never really felt comfortable. I don’t reach the possibilities that the car gives me.” But Norris is forbidden to assume that he would be in a negative spiral: “If I didn’t show how I feel, it would be much harder for me.” He claims to have learned to be able to separate his thoughts from his public comments. Then his longing becomes clear again: “I wish I could one day dance again with my car.”
Team boss Andrea Stella, who acts as an equal opportunities officer between his two drivers, also knows that the relationship between the pilots is currently at a sensitive point. Should Piatri move past Norris again during the race on Easter weekend in Saudi Arabia, the psychology of coexistence will change for everyone.
McLaren boss Brown sees an advantage in the different characters
“Oscar has no voices in their heads, which is very useful in Formula 1,” analyzes Stella, “he processes all information better in crucial situations and improves very quickly.” Norris listens too much to background noises, tries to publicly process his frustration, while Piatri makes his lips a line in similar moments. Stella also says that he admires Norris to always look for the guilt with himself. That makes his life easier as a team boss. McLaren-Boss Zak Brown sees an advantage in the different mentalities of his protégés: “Learn Oscar and Lando from each other, so they put themselves pressure on each other.” The only question is who can withstand this pressure better in the long run.
Because it remains open, which should be more difficult in the luxury problem of two strong drivers in the strongest car: to rebuild a racing car that is superior to Piatri so that Lando Norris gets along better with what is being tried? Or reprogram the British head? In any case, Oscar Piatri looks very convincing in his new role: “I am very satisfied with the possibilities that the car gives me.”