McLaren boss reveals areas where Lando Norris is uncomfortable with the car

McLaren F1 team principal Andrea Stella confirmed that the team made specific adjustments to Lando Norris’ MCL39 to improve his comfort and confidence behind the wheel. Speaking to media including Sportskeeda during the Bahrain GP weekend, Stella said the 2025 challenger has proven more unpredictable than its predecessor, making it harder for Norris to find his rhythm in the early part of the season.

Despite opening the season with a win, Norris has repeatedly voiced concerns about the car’s feel and behavior, mentioning it hasn’t suited him as well as last year’s version. In contrast, teammate Oscar Piastri has appeared more at ease with the package, raising questions about the car’s compatibility with differing driving styles.

In response to Sportskeeda’s question, Stella explained that McLaren implemented changes to improve the car’s predictability, especially under varying conditions. Norris also downplayed expectations heading into the Bahrain weekend, choosing instead to focus on car setup and maximizing feel.

Asked by Sportskeeda why Lando Norris was complaining about the feeling of the car and was focused on improving it in Bahrain, Stella said:

“Yes, actually, you are right. I think on Lando’s side, there’s especially a particular phase of driving the car that doesn’t make him entirely comfortable. I think we’ve achieved a very good understanding of what that is. It would be inappropriate to share the details, but let me say that even for this race, we’ve made some adjustments to the car – going back to some solutions that we think may improve the predictability of the car in relation to Lando’s driving input. So it’s actually an interesting weekend even from this point of view, and we look forward to seeing what we will learn.”

With warmer temperatures and asphalt expected to play a key role, McLaren will be hoping the recent tweaks help the Briton unlock more consistent performance.

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Andrea Stella reckons Oscar Piastri is more confident than Lando Norris in qualifying

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella acknowledged that Oscar Piastri currently appears more confident in qualifying compared to teammate Lando Norris. When asked whether the Australian driver has stepped up his performance in 2025, Stella said both drivers are highly competitive and closely matched in pace and skillset.

Stella said the minimal performance gap between both drivers has benefited the team, as their similar feedback has made car development easier. While he did not directly confirm that Piastri had made a notable leap forward, the 54-year-old emphasized both drivers could deliver equally strong performances.

Asked if Piastri had stepped up his performance in comparison to Lando Norris in 2025, Stella said:

“Yeah, I think you're right. I think we see that Oscar is just more confident in qualifying. He’s just more capable of putting things together. I think he has more awareness, which comes with experience, which comes with all the analysis that has been going on during the winter. So we see a stronger Oscar, like we see, as usual, a very strong Lando. But for me, again coming back to the competitiveness of McLaren, what I see – and I still look at quite a lot of telemetry myself – is two drivers that push each other and pick from each other.”

He further added:

“If you see Free Practice 1, they’re almost complementary as to where they go fast and slow. So they can see quite a lot of opportunities. And then I see the synergy. And the synergy means an elevation of the game. So for me, if anything, that’s what I see has mostly changed compared to the past. We can see it as car performance, but for me it’s a combination of car performance and what the drivers are able to achieve, elevating their own games.”

McLaren currently leads the Constructors’ Championship with 111 points, while Lando Norris sits atop the Drivers’ standings with 62 points. The Briton, however, holds only a slender one-point advantage over reigning champion Max Verstappen. Close behind is Norris’ teammate Oscar Piastri, who sits third in the standings with 49 points — just 13 points adrift of the championship leader.

With Red Bull still grappling with performance inconsistencies, the upcoming two rounds of the triple-header present a crucial opportunity for McLaren. It will be imperative for both drivers to capitalize on their current form and extend their lead in both championships, especially with rivals like Ferrari and Mercedes showing signs of progress.