McLaren chief admits Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri can’t beat “faster” F1 pairing

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri both impressed in 2023 – but McLaren’s chief isn’t expecting either of them to push for silverware when the new season starts in March

McLaren’s team principal Andrea Stella admits that Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri will struggle to compete with Red Bull this year.

Max Verstappen, the top driver for Red Bull, won the world championship in 2023 with an absurdly large margin. After winning all but three of the 22 races held in the previous year, Verstappen finished an incredible 290 points ahead of teammate Sergio Perez in second place.

Verstappen’s domination ensured Red Bull boasted 451 points more than Mercedes in second in the Constructors’ Championship. Ferrari finished third, with McLaren in fourth and Aston Martin in fifth. The gap between Red Bull and McLaren was 558 points.

Although McLaren struggled to compete with Red Bull, they still enjoyed some success in 2023. Brit Norris achieved seven podiums to finish sixth in the Drivers’ Championship, while Aussie Piastri got on the podium twice in his debut Formula 1 campaign.

Yet Stella thinks McLaren are still a long way from challenging Red Bull for the title. “Even an outstanding driver like Verstappen is right now can only do what the car allows him to do,” the McLaren chief told Auto Motor und Sport. “We have to say to ourselves, ‘The combination of Verstappen and Red Bull is faster than us. We have to beat them’.”

Stella added: “It is impossible that our car, no matter which driver was in the cockpit, would have been as fast as Red Bull in the second part of the stints. The Red Bull treated the tires better. You can separate the car from the driver.”

Yet Stella accepts Verstappen is one of F1’s best drivers and believes he moves his superior car “with perfection”. The three-time champion is the overwhelming favourite to win this year’s championship after finishing so far ahead of Perez last time out.

Stella explained: “Verstappen stands out because he consistently performs at this extraordinarily high level. Verstappen demonstrates what this Red Bull can do when moved flawlessly, even in the most trying situations.”

The Formula One season of this year looks to be historic. For the first time in the history of the sport, every one of the ten teams is the same as it was in the season finale. In 2024, a record-breaking 24 races are scheduled, including six sprint events.

The campaign will begin on March 2 with the Bahrain Grand Prix and conclude on December 8 with the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. The British Grand Prix is set for July 7, while the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, which was canceled due to flooding last year, will reopen on May 19.