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McLaren Welcomes Driver Rivalry in 2025: ‘Headaches’ a Sign of Championship Success

Arthur Ling by Arthur Ling
January 4, 2025
in Motorsports
Reading Time: 3 mins read
0
McLaren Welcomes Driver Rivalry in 2025: ‘Headaches’ a Sign of Championship Success

Nov 23, 2024; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; McLaren driver Lando Norris (4) during the Las Vegas Grand Prix at Las Vegas Circuit. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

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McLaren enters the 2025 Formula 1 season with high stakes and even higher expectations. After clinching the Constructors’ Championship in 2024 but falling short in the Drivers’ title race, the team is prepared to tackle one of F1’s most challenging dynamics: managing fierce competition between its two star drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. For McLaren boss Andrea Stella, these “headaches” are a problem he gladly welcomes.


The Push for the Drivers’ Title

The 2024 season saw McLaren deliver the best car on the grid by year’s end, but a series of strategic missteps and a sluggish start left them unable to dethrone Max Verstappen. One major criticism aimed at McLaren was their hesitation to fully back Norris’s title bid early on, particularly during the Hungarian and Italian Grands Prix. This indecision allowed Verstappen to capitalize, despite Red Bull’s fading dominance.

Oscar Piastri’s bold move against Norris at Monza further complicated matters, forcing McLaren to impose team orders that came too late to make a difference in the championship race.

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Andrea Stella: Driver Competition Is a ‘Good Problem’

Looking ahead to 2025, Stella is optimistic that the intra-team rivalry between Norris and Piastri will push McLaren to new heights. He views the situation as an opportunity rather than a hindrance.

“We worked very hard to have a problem of having a car in condition to win races and two drivers in condition to win races,” Stella said. “And we know that this one in Formula 1 always comes with some complications.”

Stella emphasized McLaren’s commitment to managing the team-first philosophy while allowing both drivers the freedom to race.

“Both drivers were always fully aware that we need to find solutions that, first of all, put the interests of the team and then the interests of the drivers,” he explained. “So far, I think this has been a very positive process.”


Lessons from 2024: A Faster Start Is Crucial

McLaren’s slow start to the 2024 season, as Red Bull dominated early rounds, proved costly. Stella admitted that addressing this shortfall is the team’s top priority.

“Before we think about [intra-team rivalries], we need to think… potentially it’s more of an opportunity,” he said. “Our focus is to make sure that from a technical point of view, we give Lando and Oscar a car that is in condition to fight for the championship.”

Stella believes that if McLaren had delivered a competitive package from the outset in 2024, they could have sustained a stronger fight for the Drivers’ Championship.


What to Expect in 2025

With Norris and Piastri both vying for supremacy, McLaren faces a delicate balancing act in maintaining harmony while keeping its title aspirations on track. Norris, the team’s established leader, is hungry for his first championship after years of near-misses. Meanwhile, Piastri, a rising star, is eager to assert himself as McLaren’s best hope for the future.


The Stakes Have Never Been Higher

McLaren enters 2025 as the team to beat, with the championship-caliber car and two of the grid’s most talented drivers. However, their ability to manage the inevitable tension between Norris and Piastri will be critical to turning Constructors’ dominance into Drivers’ glory.

For Andrea Stella, it’s a challenge worth taking:

“We call it [a] problem, but it’s potentially more of an opportunity.”

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