The Formula 1 race weekend at the legendary Spa-Francorchamps circuit once again highlighted what has become a consistent trend in the 2025 season: the remarkable dominance of the McLaren Formula 1 team over the rest of the competition. The Woking-based outfit delivered yet another commanding one-two finish, with Oscar Piastri leading home his team-mate Lando Norris. It was the team’s sixth double podium of the year in just 13 Grands Prix, a demonstration of form that continues to leave rivals trailing. As a result of this latest result, McLaren further extended its advantage over its competitors, with Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen — the reigning world champion — remaining third in the championship standings behind both McLaren drivers.
Following the Belgian Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri has increased the gap over team-mate Lando Norris to 16 points in the battle for the 2025 Drivers’ World Championship. The title race appears increasingly likely to be an intra-team affair between the two McLaren stars, as the rest of the grid struggles to match the superior pace and consistency of the MCL39 car.
During the traditional post-race press conference, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella addressed the growing rivalry between his two drivers and shared his views on the team’s internal approach. The Italian manager emphasized McLaren’s clear philosophy of avoiding interference in the on-track battle between Piastri and Norris, instead encouraging fair competition and letting both drivers race freely. Stella responded directly to questions about whether it might be strategically easier or more beneficial for the team to designate a number one driver — especially considering the current performance advantage the team enjoys over the rest of the field.
Stella: “Comfort is not my priority”
Andrea Stella was firm in his response, shutting down any notion that McLaren should appoint a lead driver to make team management simpler. He stated: “If I wanted to feel comfortable, then I would not be doing the right job. I am not interested in being comfortable. What matters to me is putting McLaren in the best possible position to succeed, which means fighting for the Constructors’ Championship and, if possible, making sure that the battle for the Drivers’ Championship remains an internal affair between our two McLaren drivers.”
The McLaren boss then expanded on the team’s approach, highlighting the importance of allowing both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris to grow and perform freely: “In addition to this — and even though this may not make life any easier for me or for Zak Brown — we are also racing in a certain way, one that is open and transparent. This approach gives our drivers the opportunity to fully express their talent, their ambitions, their abilities, and their constant development. This is why we are here. We are very privileged to be in this position, and we are also privileged to be able to race not only with the fantastic team we have, but with Oscar and Lando — two outstanding drivers, and more importantly, two exceptional individuals.”
Andrea Stella’s comments sent a clear and unambiguous message: McLaren has absolutely no intention of artificially managing or influencing the fierce but respectful on-track rivalry between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris. Unless the dynamic changes significantly in the second half of the 2025 Formula 1 season, the internal balance is likely to remain intact — and the Drivers’ Championship could well be decided only at the very end, during the final round of the season in Abu Dhabi on 7 December.
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