The impressive debut of the youngest driver of the British team could challenge his teammate’s place within the team
McLaren rookie Oscar Piastri has made a formidable impression in his first Formula 1 season. So much so, that Formula 1 expert Peter Windsor fears that Lando Norris could be displaced from McLaren by his teammate. According to Windsor, Piastri would not be out of place in a race-winning Red Bull.
Piastri was signed by McLaren by 2023 to replace fellow Australian Daniel Ricciardo, who was dropped by the team after two struggling seasons alongside the highly rated Norris. Although McLaren has struggled to find a rhythm, the 22-year-old – F3 and F2 champion in back-to-back seasons in 2020 and 2021 – has made a good first impression in difficult circumstances, reaching Q3 in Saudi Arabia and Azerbaijan. and scoring his first points with an eighth-place finish in Melbourne.
Piastri’s potential evident despite difficulties
Speaking on a recent YouTube streamWindsor is so convinced of the potential of Piastri who believes he could thrive at Red Bull – winners of the first five races of 2023 – and would match up well against Carlos Sainz at Ferrari. However, he feels that Piastri’s rise could ultimately lead Norris to look at other options.
When asked by a viewer to assess Piastri’s start to the season, Windsor said: “I think it has good handling in the short corners. I think it has a lovely touch. I think it drives really, really well and has enormous potential. In a Red Bull now, it would be really fast. In a Ferrari, he wouldn’t be far from Sainz as soon as he got out.”
Piastri, a competitor for the greats of F1?
It is too early to make definitive assessments, and obviously, Piastri is not yet as fast as George Russell, Lewis Hamilton, Charles Leclerc or Max Verstappen. But Windsor believes that he has the potential to live up to it. “And this is the problem for Lando,” concludes Windsor. Internal competition at McLaren could lead to tensions and ultimately lead Norris to seek opportunities elsewhere if Piastri continues to impress with his performance.
Therefore, the future of McLaren and Norris’ trajectory within the team could be strongly influenced for Piastri’s performance. If the Australian continues to demonstrate his talent and improve his performance, he could establish himself as a mainstay in the team and bring about a significant change in the internal dynamics of McLaren.