Andrea Stella was full of praise for both his drivers in Azerbaijan, as Oscar Piastri delivered his second career win for McLaren, while Lando Norris recovered from a Q1 qualifying exit to finish in fourth.
Those results lifted McLaren above Red Bull in the constructors’ championship – the team leading the standings for the first time since 2014, and now chasing a first constructors’ title since 1998.
But Piastri’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix victory wasn’t as easy as the one they managed in Zandvoort, when Norris crossed the line over 20 seconds ahead of the field. Instead, Piastri had to work hard for his win, passing long-time race leader Charles Leclerc on track and then defending for lap after lap to keep the Ferrari man at bay.
READ MORE: Piastri relieved after ‘hanging on for dear life’ to beat Leclerc and claim Baku victory
“What brilliancy in Oscar’s drive today and what teamwork, because obviously Lando did a bit of the job in helping Oscar today – and then what a recovery from 15th on the grid,” Stella told Sky Sports F1 afterwards. “Such a strong team, such strong drivers – I’m very proud of them.”