Oscar Piastri, now in his second year in Formula 1, has honed his approach to working with McLaren’s engineers, becoming “a bit more pushy” as his confidence grows. Despite his growing leadership, Piastri remains careful not to overstep his boundaries within the team.
In his sophomore season, Piastri played a pivotal role in securing McLaren’s position in the world constructors’ title, earning two grand prix victories, eight podiums, and an impressive streak of 12 top-five finishes in 13 races. His experience has helped him better understand his preferences, both on and off the track, allowing him to work more effectively with the team.
When asked by Autosport if he had become more assertive in his role, Piastri explained:
“I would say not in my demeanor or the way I’m working with the team. Maybe I know a little bit more of what I want from the team or from the car, but I think for the large part, it’s very, very similar. I’m certainly not now in my second year telling the aerodynamicists how to design the car and stuff like that. I’m still trying to give the same helpful feedback where I can.”
However, the 23-year-old noted that his growing familiarity with the team has allowed him to be more confident in making requests.
“Maybe now that I know some more people, I’m not as afraid to be a bit more pushy in what I ask for. But I have certainly not changed my personality from year to year. That just comes with experience, and the best way I can help is by trying to do my best every weekend.”
Piastri also spoke highly of his strong relationship with teammate Lando Norris, as the pair prepare to continue their partnership through the 2025 and 2026 seasons.
“I think part of why we’ve had so much success in going forward is that Lando and I work very well together on that kind of thing,” he said. “We have always wanted very similar things from the car. So I think that’s very useful for the team. As long as we keep saying the same things, then, while it means that we’re still not on top of them, it also means that we’re still working very much in the same wavelength.”
As McLaren continues its upward trajectory, Piastri’s balance of assertiveness and teamwork remains crucial in the team’s ongoing development.
