McLaren faced a challenging Azerbaijan Grand Prix. Championship leader Oscar Piastri made mistakes and retired both in qualifying and the race, while his teammate Lando Norris started and finished seventh.
The key outcome of the weekend – Norris cut just six points from Piastri’s lead, reducing the gap to 25. Team principal Andrea Stella admitted that qualifying was a missed opportunity to gain more.
Norris consistent, but lacking pace
According to Stella, Norris delivered a clean race, avoided trouble, and maximized what was possible with the car. However, McLaren simply lacked the speed to move higher than seventh place. The result brought consistent but limited points.
Piastri’s errors and broken streak
For Piastri, the weekend turned into a real struggle. On Saturday, he crashed in Q3, then in the race jumped the start, fell to the back, and later crashed into the barriers. His impressive 34-race finishing streak came to an end.
Stella emphasized this was not about pressure but a one-off mistake. He is confident that Piastri will learn quickly and return stronger.
Outlook for the rest of the season
Max Verstappen dominated in Baku, closing to within 69 points of Piastri. McLaren knows the fight will intensify, and the team aims to bounce back in the upcoming races.
Stella highlighted that one of Piastri’s strongest traits is his ability to learn and adapt rapidly. This, he believes, will help him finish the season at a high level.
