Andrea Stella believes reliability problems have slowed Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri during a challenging first half of the 2026 Formula 1 season, while McLaren still sees significant room to improve its understanding and exploitation of the Mercedes power unit. The McLaren team principal has nevertheless praised both drivers for their response to the new regulations and the way their working relationship has strengthened.
Reigning world champion Lando Norris reaches the summer break fifth in the Formula 1 Drivers’ Championship with 128 points, 91 behind leader Kimi Antonelli. His victory in Hungary helped reduce that deficit, while Oscar Piastri sits seventh on 92 points after a difficult opening half of the campaign.
McLaren’s Budapest weekend summed up its mixed season. Lando Norris finally delivered the team’s first Grand Prix victory of 2026, but Oscar Piastri retired while running second. It was another reminder of the reliability difficulties that have repeatedly complicated McLaren’s year, despite the major breakthrough achieved at the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Andrea Stella satisfied with Norris and Piastri despite 2026 difficulties
Andrea Stella first highlighted the scale of the adaptation required from Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri under Formula 1’s new technical regulations.
“I’m very satisfied with how our driver line-up is performing. For Oscar and Lando, the impact of the new regulations has been disruptive, to say the least. The new generation of cars requires not only an adaptation in driving style, but above all greater attention to understanding how to fully exploit the potential offered by the new power units.”
Managing the power unit and its battery has become both fundamental and complicated for drivers across the grid. Differences in adaptation can even be seen between team-mates driving identical machinery, as has also been evident with Kimi Antonelli and George Russell at Mercedes.
The contrast between those Mercedes drivers has become another major storyline of the season, with George Russell under growing pressure alongside Kimi Antonelli as Formula 1’s new technical era rewards different driving and energy-management techniques.
Reliability slowed McLaren’s learning process
Expanding on the challenge of learning completely new systems and adapting to different requirements, Andrea Stella admitted that reliability issues made the process considerably more difficult during the early stages of the season.
“The learning process has sometimes proved complicated and was slowed down, particularly in the early stages, by several reliability problems. Both of them reacted in the right way, working extremely hard alongside the team, day after day.”
Power-unit management remains one of the most important areas for improvement. McLaren uses Mercedes power units, but as a customer team it must continue refining the way the engine, electrical systems and chassis work together.
“There is still room for improvement, particularly when it comes to the power unit. We are working very well with our partners at Mercedes HPP, including on the interaction between the driver and the power unit.”
That area has become increasingly important as McLaren has improved the MCL40 itself. The team made a substantial step with its Hungary package, with even Mercedes admitting it had been surprised by the scale of McLaren’s MCL40 developments.
Norris and Piastri relationship stronger after 2025 title fight
Andrea Stella is also particularly pleased by the atmosphere between his two drivers. Their relationship could easily have deteriorated after Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri fought each other for the 2025 world championship until the final race, but the McLaren team principal believes the opposite has happened.
“Another aspect that I really appreciate about our drivers is the way they work together. It was not guaranteed that, after last year, when they found themselves fighting for the world championship until the final race, the harmony they had built would remain intact.”
“And yet not only has it not changed, but their relationship with each other and with the team has actually become stronger. And while, in a way, that could perhaps have been expected from Lando, given that he was ultimately the one who became champion, it was not as obvious with Oscar.”
Andrea Stella believes Oscar Piastri’s response has been particularly significant after missing out on the championship.
“Instead, he has placed even more trust in the team to accelerate his development, both on and off the track.”
That cooperation has become especially valuable while McLaren works through its technical difficulties. The team’s progress in Budapest was not the result of one isolated change, with the development work behind McLaren’s Hungary breakthrough gradually bringing the MCL40 closer to the front.
Andrea Stella praises Leonardo Fornaroli’s McLaren progress
Andrea Stella also had positive words for Italian youngster Leonardo Fornaroli. The McLaren reserve driver has already taken part in two official Formula 1 practice sessions during the first half of 2026 as part of the FIA’s rookie practice requirements.
“Leo is showing great maturity in his approach to Formula 1. So far, he has always been very meticulous and attentive in preparing for every test, without ever overdoing it, but working step by step with great diligence.”
McLaren’s engineers have also been impressed by Leonardo Fornaroli’s development and by the maturity he demonstrated during his two FP1 appearances, first in Barcelona and then in Budapest.
“Our engineers are very satisfied with his progress in every test and with his performances in the two free practice sessions he has taken part in, first in Barcelona and then in Budapest. I think his journey within our Driver Development Programme is progressing exactly as planned. Hopefully, it will soon offer him further opportunities to grow.”
Leonardo Fornaroli has also been linked with a possible Haas opportunity for the 2027 season. Nothing is official at this stage, but the Italian continues to build his case for a future Formula 1 seat as McLaren gives him increasingly meaningful experience at Grand Prix weekends.
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