Is McLaren Fully Maximizing Oscar Piastri’s Potential?

Oscar Piastri brought a wave of expectations when he made his full-time debut in F1 in 2023. Accolades in junior racing categories marked him as one of the brightest talents in the sport, with many considering him a future World Champion.

With only three more races to go in the 2024 season, Piastri has almost completed two campaigns. It hasn’t gone unnoticed — he won races and outperformed his teammate Lando Norris on several occasions. At the same time, Piastri also followed team orders whenever called upon.

The Aussie let Norris pass by several times this season in his difficult bid to chase down Max Verstappen for the title.

But the question remains: is McLaren capitalizing on Piastri’s full potential? Or is he just another talented second driver who will have to spend his time in the shadows of a more established teammate?

Rising above a rocky start

To understand whether Piastri is correctly treated by McLaren, it is important to take a look at his career so far. He showed a blend of raw talent and adaptability during his rookie season, starting with a car that struggled to finish in the point.

But as the year progressed, he slowly got better, and closer to Norris. McLaren’s mid-season development packages last year also got them close to winning races, and Piastri actually won one before his teammate did — the Qatar 2023 Sprint.

The young driver showed consistency when given a competitive machine, setting a high bar for expectation in his second season, in which he has shown considerable improvement.

The challenge of team dynamics

One of the main questions surrounding McLaren’s handling of Piastri is whether the team considered his driving style during the car development process.

While Norris has been the established driver at McLaren, resulting in some design leanings that favor his preferences, McLaren could tailor setups to suit Piastri’s style to optimize his performance better.

By crafting a car that satisfies both drivers’ needs, the Woking-based team could amplify the impact of their lineup.

McLaren’s inclination towards supporting Norris as their primary contender means Piastri is asked to play second fiddle, which restricts him from making the most out of his talents. The team could also utilize the Aussie’s aggressive driving style and quick decision-making for more flexible strategies. This would allow him to experiment and take calculated risks on race day. It would not only build his experience and confidence but would also surprise the rivals, especially in the mid-field battles where quick thinking and bold moves are critical.

Furthermore, as much as McLaren benefits from Norris’s experience, nurturing a healthy competition relationship between the two drivers could be crucial for Piastri’s continued growth. Establishing clear but flexible roles within the team —where Piastri can feel empowered to challenge Norris without the pressures of an established hierarchy—would benefit both drivers.

Is McLaren holding back Oscar Piastri?

Throughout 2024, McLaren has prioritized Norris, betting on him to deliver a title. But Norris is now slipping behind and questions are surfacing about his skills and whether McLaren should have focused more on Piastri instead.

However, Norris’s faltering title bid can’t be entirely blamed on him. McLaren’s “Papaya Rule,” has also arguably compromised some of their races. While Norris closed the gap to Max Verstappen for the title race, the Woking-based team stayed reluctant to implement the team orders.

Fumbling at key moments

At the Hungarian GP, McLaren asked Norris to yield and swap positions with Piastri snatching away his second career victory and crucial points from the title bid. Then again at the Italian GP, the confusion about the team orders led to a wheel-to-wheel battle between Piastri and Norris, and eventually, Ferrari won the race.

After massive criticism, McLaren clarified the papaya rules and stated that it would favor Norris—meaning if needed, Piastri would give up his wins for Norris. But come Azerbaijan GP, Norris was nowhere to be seen in the fight for the win and the young Aussie grabbed the incredible victory.

The mixed messages from McLaren have stunted the team’s potential. It has created a pile of missed opportunities that could have helped Norris’s title bid and given Piastri a chance to showcase his full range.

However, despite multiple strong performances from Piastri, McLaren has either succumbed to confusion or decided to favor Norris, who holds an unwanted record of 1-10 in converting his poles into leads after Lap 1. This includes sprint races. This inconsistent approach has inadvertently stalled McLaren’s momentum.

As the season nears its end, the team would benefit from reevaluating its priorities. Relying solely on Norris may not yield the results they are hoping for. By allowing more freedom to Piastri they can unlock his potential and position him as a formidable contender for future campaigns. Moving forward, McLaren must avoid leaving Piastri in the shadows of his teammate.