In the debate of the strongest driver line-up on the F1 grid, the McLaren boys are steadily making a name for themselves. Both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have performed on a similar level in 2023 despite the latter being just a rookie. With McLaren improving consistently, Piastri and Norris may indeed be the most dangerous pairing in 2024. This is a notion Zak Brown strongly endorses.
Appearing on the Track Limits podcast, the McLaren CEO expressed his thoughts on the Piastri-Norris pairing. He highlighted how the Aussie rookie has raised the bar for Norris after Daniel Ricciardo failed to match the Briton for two seasons.
Brown said, “I think Oscar’s keeping Lando on his toes. I think the benefit is they like a very similar race car. So we are getting consistent feedback from the two.”
While Brown will look to hype his drivers up, the McLaren duo have also got Max Verstappen’s approval as well. Both Norris and Piastri were two of the closest drivers to challenge the Dutchman when the team discovered some pace in their MCL60 in the second half of the 2023 season.
Their talent and skills along with their belief in themselves helped them to take the fight to Verstappen. This certainly sent a strong message to everyone on the grid, including Red Bull, that they cannot underestimate the McLaren drivers.
The American boss then further explained how similar Norris and Piastri are. He added, “We are benefitting from having two fast drivers that are very technical. We do have experience and a rookie. It’s just our experienced guy happens to be pretty young.”
Zak Brown delighted with “superstar” Oscar Piastri
Zak Brown’s decision to sign Oscar Piastri paid off handsomely for McLaren. Piastri has been a revelation and perhaps exceeded expectations in his maiden F1 year. Brown has been extremely satisfied with the 22-year-old’s performance this year, hailing him as a future “superstar”.
It was a tricky situation to get the Australian prodigy on board for the Woking team. With Alpine involved in a controversy over signing Piastri, McLaren had to tend to legal tactics. The Australian had also upset the top management at Alpine after refusing to drive for them, as he had signed a deal with McLaren behind closed doors.
Eventually, the Contracts Recognition Board deemed McLaren’s deal with the 2021 F2 champion as valid. Ever since then, Piastri has ensured he lived up to all the hype around him. He got multiple podiums and a sprint race win to prove his mettle.
As per PlanetF1, Brown praised the Aussie’s maturity. The American CEO said, “He doesn’t try and win on Friday. He puts the lap down when he needs to, which is usually Saturday in qualifying, so I think we’ve got a superstar on our hands.”
The McLaren boss then also compared the Piastri-Norris pairing with one of the team’s veteran line-ups – Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard. In those late 1990s and early 2000s days, Coulthard and Hakkinen were an extremely strong pairing, which won the Woking team two Constructors’ titles. Brown will hope Piastri and Norris can replicate a similar kind of success soon.
