Stella: ‘Piastri Won With 50% of Norris’ Help’
McLaren team principal Andrea Stella emphasized the crucial role Lando Norris played in Oscar Piastri’s second career win at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. While Piastri’s bold move on Charles Leclerc for the lead was pivotal, Stella praised Norris for helping secure the victory by holding off Sergio Perez.
As the race unfolded, Piastri was in a close chase for the lead, but third-placed Perez attempted to undercut the McLaren by pitting early on lap 14. Piastri, however, stayed on track for two more laps, leaving him vulnerable to losing second place to the Red Bull driver after his own pit stop.
This is where Norris stepped in. Starting from 15th on harder tyres, Norris was asked by McLaren’s race engineer to delay Perez for two laps after the Red Bull came out of the pits behind him. Norris effectively blocked Perez’s progress, allowing Piastri to rejoin the race ahead of the Mexican driver after his stop.
Stella reflected on the teamwork that led to Piastri’s win:
“Without Lando’s help, Perez could have stayed ahead of Oscar, and the race could have taken a completely different direction. I think Oscar’s victory today is 50% shared with Lando. It shows that we approach every race as one team. We had conversations before the weekend about how we would support each other, and this result proves that if one driver needs help, the other will step up.”
