The McLaren Formula 1 team recently introduced a technical update involving a small yet significant change to the front suspension of its 2025 car, the MCL39. Specifically, it was a revised version of the front pull-rod suspension system. However, this modification was adopted solely by British driver Lando Norris. In contrast, his teammate Oscar Piastri, the talented Australian driver, opted not to implement the upgrade. In fact, he decided against using it without even conducting a test. Let us delve into the details of what exactly happened and why Oscar Piastri did not feel the need to adopt this change on his Formula 1 car.
McLaren and the Strong Front-End Characteristics of the MCL39
The McLaren MCL39 is a car that has often been praised for its high level of front-end grip—something that has been consistently observed in onboard footage and through telemetry analysis during Grand Prix weekends. On multiple occasions, drivers have turned into corners only to subsequently open up the steering angle moments later, due to an excess of rotation from the front end during the turn-in phase. While this front-end responsiveness is generally seen as a strength, it also presents some challenges, particularly in terms of balance and predictability during high-speed direction changes.
In the world of Formula 1, where performance is measured in hundredths of a second, a driver’s connection with the car—what is often referred to as “feeling”—is absolutely critical. Without this intuitive confidence, extracting peak performance becomes extremely difficult. At the beginning of the 2025 season, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella made a revealing comment: he noted that the technical development path taken by McLaren might have unintentionally favoured Oscar Piastri’s driving style over that of Lando Norris. This was not a deliberate decision, but rather a natural consequence of the design direction.
We are talking about marginal differences, but in a tightly contested intra-team battle like the one between Norris and Piastri, even small advantages can become deciding factors. For the first time, the Woking-based team decided to explore two slightly different solutions. The new version of the pull-rod suspension included minor geometric modifications to the upper wishbone’s first arm. These were subtle changes, yet they affected various aspects of the car’s behaviour, especially during the initial corner-entry phase.
Depending on the positioning and attachment point of this upper arm, the sensations communicated to the driver via the steering wheel vary significantly. These sensations determine how easily the driver can predict the car’s behaviour under cornering loads. The ideal objective is to give the driver a sense of confidence and predictability in every single phase of the corner, lap after lap, and under different conditions.
McLaren’s Suspension Update: Prioritising Driver Feel Over Raw Performance
Lando Norris is the only McLaren driver currently using this modified suspension, which was designed more to improve the car’s balance and steering feedback than to deliver a direct performance boost. It is better described as a change that enhances the range of car setup possibilities rather than outright lap time. After testing the new version of the suspension, Norris quickly found it to be to his liking. Since introducing it, he has reported an improved connection with the front end of the car, although he has also made it clear that the recent positive results are not solely due to this updated component.
Oscar Piastri, on the other hand, decided not to adopt the new suspension and has continued to race with the original configuration developed during the design phase of the MCL39. The fact that he chose not to even trial the updated system raises questions about how much these suspension differences may actually differentiate the two cars. If the characteristics diverge too greatly, it could become increasingly difficult to compare on-track data between the two vehicles.
Andrea Stella addressed this concern publicly. He explained that the differing front suspension setups between the two cars do not interfere with data comparison or with evaluating driver performance. According to Andrea Stella, the team is still able to extract maximum value from the data gathered from both McLaren MCL39 cars, without needing to analyze them as separate entities. In other words, technical analysis and performance correlation remain robust despite the different suspension configurations.
Oscar Piastri Maintains Stability: “The Car Feels Right Without the Update”
Andrea Stella further elaborated that McLaren is continuing internal discussions regarding whether certain developments adopted by Lando Norris could also be beneficial to Oscar Piastri. However, the young Australian driver has expressed reservations. He has evaluated the new suspension and concluded that while it may offer improvements in specific areas, it simultaneously creates disadvantages in others. For that reason, he has preferred not to alter the carefully balanced setup of the car that he already feels comfortable with.
This is a classic example of how even the smallest technical changes in Formula 1 must be evaluated not only on their theoretical benefits but also on how they interact with a driver’s confidence, comfort, and overall car balance. For Oscar Piastri, maintaining his established feeling with the current package has outweighed any potential advantages the new suspension might bring. As the 2025 Formula 1 season continues to unfold, it remains to be seen whether this decision will hold, or whether future developments will prompt Piastri to reconsider and eventually adopt the updated component.
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