McLaren team principal Andrea Stella stated his confidence that drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris will compete cleanly in the Spanish Grand Prix, anticipating a straightforward battle despite the challenging long run to Turn 1.
For the first time since the opening race in Australia, McLaren achieved a front-row lockout. This is particularly significant at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, where the driver starting from pole can be vulnerable heading into the first corner. Piastri currently holds a slim three-point lead over Norris in the championship standings, with Max Verstappen 22 points further back, starting third.
McLaren has consistently maintained that their drivers are free to race each other. Stella affirmed that both Piastri and Norris are fully aligned with the team`s racing guidelines.
“We have established a clear racing approach that Lando and Oscar have been following for months,” Stella explained. “While it`s based on principles, you can`t have rigid rules when racing against a teammate or any other competitor.”
“We place great trust in our drivers. This is paramount. We engage in ongoing, productive discussions. I`m confident it will be an exciting and fair competition throughout the championship,” he added.
However, 2016 F1 world champion Nico Rosberg offered a word of caution to Stella: “My perspective, unfortunately, is that relying solely on driver trust is a recipe for disaster!”
Starting Grid Top 10: Spanish GP
- 1) Oscar Piastri, McLaren
- 2) Lando Norris, McLaren
- 3) Max Verstappen, Red Bull
- 4) George Russell, Mercedes
- 5) Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes
- 6) Kimi Antonelli, Mercedes
- 7) Charles Leclerc, Ferrari
- 8) Pierre Gasly, Alpine
- 9) Isack Hadjar, Racing Bulls
- 10) Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin
Piastri Not Planning Co-ordination Against Verstappen
Oscar Piastri`s last pole position was in Imola, where Max Verstappen outmaneuvered him into the first chicane. However, Piastri showed his assertive side in Saudi Arabia the previous month, battling hard against Verstappen.
“Even if your start isn`t perfect, you still have an opportunity into Turn 1,” Piastri commented on the upcoming race start. “Max will benefit from the tow from his grid position. I`m sure he`ll be in the mix somehow. Turn 1 will be thrilling.”
When asked if the McLaren pair had a plan to prevent Verstappen from taking the lead, Piastri stated, “When you try to orchestrate things like that, they rarely unfold as intended. We will likely race for ourselves and aim to finish first and second.”
Piastri`s comment likely references the 2023 Italian Grand Prix incident where his pass on Norris on the opening lap inadvertently allowed Ferrari`s Charles Leclerc to also get past Norris. McLaren later acknowledged this outcome was undesirable.
Lando Norris, maintaining his usual reserved approach with the media, noted the team`s strong long-run pace from Friday practice, expressing optimism for the race. He acknowledged that with a long run to Turn 1, “many things can happen.”
Regarding the rules of engagement with his teammate, Norris offered a simple rule: “It’s the same as always – don`t crash, have fun.”
Max Verstappen reflected on his strategic move at Turn 1 in Imola but downplayed its ultimate importance in Barcelona, saying, “the race won`t be won at Turn 1.”
“It`s going to be challenging,” Verstappen admitted about the competition from McLaren. “My long-run pace wasn`t bad, but looking at today`s performance difference, a real fight might be difficult. But that doesn`t mean we won`t try.”
“It`s an opportunity to perform well at Turn 1! Why not make it three-wide for the photos? I honestly don`t know. Based on pace, it will be tough,” he continued. “As Oscar mentioned, the start isn`t the only factor at Turn 1; you need to be good with tyre management. It`s a long race, and much can happen, so I`ll focus on maximizing what I have.”
Two-Stop Race Adds Uncertainty
Pirelli has supplied the three hardest tyre compounds for the Barcelona circuit, but the track`s long, fast corners result in significant tyre degradation. The hard compound did not perform well in Friday practice, suggesting teams will primarily use soft and medium tyres for the 66-lap race, anticipating a multi-stop strategy.
Strategy expert Bernie Collins indicated that a two-stop race is the minimum expectation with considerable uncertainty due to the close performance of the medium, hard, and soft tyres. Charles Leclerc and the two Haas drivers are the only ones in the top 10 with two sets of medium tyres; most others have just one. Collins expects a varied mix of strategies among teams. Effective management of stint lengths and minimizing degradation on the final stint will be critical.
George Russell, starting fourth (the same position from which he took the lead last year), hopes to replicate his strong start. He anticipates a difficult race, comparing it to Bahrain with high overheating and a required two-stop strategy. “We saw how strong McLaren were in those conditions,” he noted.
“But, you never know,” Russell added. “I started P4 last year and had a good start. If we can do that again, it would be positive.” He observed that the relatively similar performance of all three tyre compounds could lead to diverse strategies. “If you used the soft compared to the hard tyre, the potential stop lap is within five laps of each other. It’s not like Imola where the soft lasted only eight laps and the medium 30. I would be very happy if we could contend for the podium.”
Lewis Hamilton qualified fifth, matching his best qualifying result of the season and finishing ahead of teammate George Russell. He is aiming for his first podium finish for Mercedes since last year`s Las Vegas Grand Prix.
“I`m looking forward to it,” Hamilton said. “I had a decent long run on Friday. It will be extremely close among everyone. The proximity in performance is incredible; half a tenth can shift you from sixth to eleventh.”
“The long run will be challenging for everyone. Most drivers have multiple softs and one medium set. Charles and a few others have two medium sets,” he explained. “Which tyre is best? Which strategy is optimal? A strong start will be key. My goal is to try and secure a podium. It feels like ages since my last one.”
