McLaren team principal Andrea Stella described Oscar Piastri’s incident at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix as part of a natural learning curve for the young driver. Piastri stalled at the race start and crashed into a wall while trying to overtake on the opening lap, ending his streak of 34 consecutive points finishes. Meanwhile, teammate Lando Norris finished seventh, gaining valuable championship ground.
Stella Draws Parallels Between Piastri and Experienced Champions
Stella compared Piastri’s recent challenges to those faced by top drivers like Michael Schumacher, emphasizing that even the most successful racers encounter setbacks.
“I have worked with multi-champion drivers, and in a season – every season, even the most dominant – even by one of the best drivers in the history of Formula 1, like Michael Schumacher, I have seen events like this,”
Stella said. He stressed that experiencing such difficulties is common among champions and should not raise undue concern.
Qualifying Errors and Valuable Lessons for Piastri
Besides the race mishap, Piastri also struck a wall during qualifying, adding to the challenges he faced in Baku. Stella believes these experiences serve as crucial opportunities for growth.
“Events in which the most you take away [from the weekend] is the learning, because things become, for some reasons difficult, and as soon as you misjudge the grip available, you get highly punished,”
Stella explained. He sees these moments as vital for Piastri’s development as a driver.
Piastri’s Quick Adaptation and Future Focus
Although Piastri failed to score points in Azerbaijan, Stella praised the Australian’s ability to quickly process and learn from setbacks.
“And I’ve already had a chat with Oscar and his mind is already fully functional, processing,”
Stella shared. This readiness to absorb lessons and improve is a key asset for Piastri as he prepares for upcoming races.
Confidence in Piastri’s Resilience and Team’s Outlook Ahead
Stella highlighted Piastri’s rapid capacity to learn as one of his standout strengths, contributing to his success at various levels of racing. The team principal remains optimistic that Piastri will recover strongly from his Baku difficulties. As McLaren turns its attention to future events, both drivers are expected to apply what they have learned to enhance their performances and maintain competitiveness in the championship.
