McLaren is in a unique position for the 2025 Formula 1 season, with not just one, but two drivers competing for the championship. With both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri emerging as championship contenders, team principal Andrea Stella has made it clear that the team welcomes this intra-team battle as long as it remains fair.
Stella’s approach emphasises trust and open communication between his drivers. A philosophy that McLaren has been refining for months. Stella says the plan was always to build a team where both drivers could compete for the title. Now that vision is becoming reality and McLaren is ready to tackle any challenges that might come up in the intra-team battle.
Stella’s vision is a fair intra-team battle
For McLaren, the plan was never to avoid a driver battle but to create an environment where such a fight could thrive without compromising the team’s values. Stella says that Norris and Piastri are both fully on board with McLaren’s principles:
“We approach that with a very strong set of principles which Lando and Oscar are completely engaged [with]. We want to see a battle and look forward to the remainder of the season”
🟠| Andrea Stella gave his opinion on the technical directive surrounding front wings this weekend, saying it did not affect McLaren:
“Well, for us, the indication that it wouldn’t affect us is not to do with the result—it’s to do with the numbers and the technical aspects of… pic.twitter.com/Tp6880be2F
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) May 31, 2025
It’s a rare stance for a sport where team orders and internal politics are often all over the news. For McLaren, it’s all about trust and fairness.
Principles over prescriptions: Letting the drivers race
When it comes to managing the fight on track, Stella is clear: there won’t be any strict rules holding the drivers back.
“We have our racing approach which is a process between Lando and Oscar that has been going on for months,” he explained. “It’s based on principles, but when it comes to racing against your teammate, or any other car, you can’t be too prescriptive. We trust our drivers. This is the most important factor. We have great conversations constantly,” said Stella.
McLaren’s leader thinks that their drivers’ maturity and mutual respect will make sure there’s a fair fight to the end of the season. “I’m sure it will be an exciting, fair battle until the end of the championship”, Stella added.
🥇| Oscar Piastri was all smiles following qualifying where he set the biggest pole margin of 2025:
“Very happy, it has been a good weekend so far. The car has been mega, and glad to put in some good laps as well,” he said.
“It was a pretty miserable scene [here] 12 months ago,… pic.twitter.com/g8FIjOoBsC
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) May 31, 2025
McLaren has two drivers who could be fighting for the title, which is a great position for them. It’s a situation that many teams dream of but a few can manage successfully. For Norris and Piastri, the fight is on, and the whole paddock will be watching closely. But the big question remains: Can McLaren’s intra-team battle approach succeed against Red Bull, a team that’s all about one driver, Max Verstappen?
