McLaren has lavished praise on "team player" Oscar Piastri following the Australian's agonisingly close defeat in the Formula One drivers' championship, but the rising star has made it clear he expects the team to repay his loyalty with equal treatment alongside new champion Lando Norris next season.
High Praise from the McLaren Hierarchy
In the aftermath of the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where Piastri finished runner-up to secure third in the championship, McLaren leadership went out of their way to salute the Melburnian's efforts. Team CEO Zak Brown gushed over the radio, "What a season — seven wins, you’re a star, we love you! We’ll do it again next year — thank you Oscar for everything you’ve done."
Team principal Andrea Stella followed with an extravagant prediction, stating, "His trajectory is phenomenal, and definitely we have a future multiple world champion in Oscar." Stella emphasised that the gap between their two drivers was minuscule, noting the season could easily have produced two champions.
Piastri's Call for Continued Fairness
Despite the plaudits, the 24-year-old Piastri, whose remarkable campaign fell just 13 points short of Norris's title-winning tally, issued a gentle reminder of his expectations for 2026. While congratulating Norris as a "deserving champion," Piastri was quick to note, "He’s still Lando Norris, it’s not like he’s become Superman."
"I don’t think things will change. I’m expecting, obviously, full fairness from the team and equality going forward," Piastri asserted. "I don’t have any concern that that will change at all, but Lando’s had a very strong season this year, and ultimately he did a better job." His comments follow a season where McLaren faced accusations of favouritism towards the British driver, claims Piastri has largely defended the team against.
A Civil Rivalry That Forged Better Drivers
Reflecting on the intense intra-team battle, Piastri highlighted the civility of his rivalry with Norris, contrasting it with famous fractious pairings like Hamilton-Rosberg or Senna-Prost. "It is a testament to the way we go racing," he said.
"Both Lando and I have become better drivers from pushing each other to the limit, and sometimes that’s been uncomfortable for everyone, but I think ultimately it’s been a good thing," Piastri added. He gave the team credit for managing a difficult situation, concluding, "At the end of the day, I think they gave us both as good of a chance as the team could have to fairly fight for a world championship - and that’s all you can ask for."
As the dust settles on the 2025 season, all eyes will be on the Woking-based squad to see if they can maintain their delicate balance with two world-class drivers hungry for the ultimate prize.
