On Sunday in Melbourne, McLaren had a successful day with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri starting the race in third and fifth places, respectively. Norris held onto his position throughout the race, while Piastri managed to gain one position. Max Verstappen’s early retirement made things easier for McLaren’s rivals, especially Sergio Perez in the remaining Red Bull, who did not pose a significant threat to the McLarens or Ferraris. The battle for podium positions was mainly between McLaren and Ferrari, with winner Carlos Sainz looking untouchable. McLaren implemented team orders to ensure Norris was ahead of Piastri, hoping he would challenge Charles Leclerc. However, Leclerc successfully defended his position against Norris. Despite this, Norris expressed his satisfaction with the result, stating it was their first podium of the season. He acknowledged Ferrari’s strong performance and Carlos Sainz’s speed throughout the weekend. Norris also emphasized the need for McLaren to catch up to Ferrari and Red Bull, recognizing they are currently a step or two ahead. He expressed gratitude to the McLaren team for their hard work and expressed optimism for future successes.
Piastri did not reach a podium in front of his home crowd, but still believes it was a favorable result. He expressed: “P4. A satisfactory result for us. I believe our pace was consistent throughout the race. I encountered some difficulties with the first set of hard tires, as they wore out and caused a minor incident. However, I think the team did well in terms of points. There wasn’t much more I could have done personally. Overall, I am satisfied. Although I came close to a podium, I know it will happen eventually. Lando did an exceptional job today, securing P3. Overall, it was a successful week at home,” concluded the young Australian.
Andrea Stella, McLaren’s Team Principal, shared his thoughts on the team’s performance in Australia. He stated: “Our team achieved our first podium of the season with a remarkable display here at Albert Park. The MCL38 seemed to suit this circuit well. However, securing P3 and P4 required the team to deliver exceptional performance and reliability, while the drivers demonstrated their excellence in tire management. This achievement is the result of a collective effort from both sides of the world.” The Italian continued: “I would like to express my gratitude to all the people at McLaren and HPP who have worked tirelessly to strengthen and continue the positive journey we started in 2023. I hope our home team and partners will rejoice in this podium as much as the team on the track. Now, our focus turns to the next double-header in Japan,” Stella concluded.
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