McLaren CEO Zak Brown has expressed his belief that Oscar Piastri, despite currently trailing Lando Norris in the standings, has the potential to become a future Formula 1 World Champion. Piastri, the Australian rookie, was signed by McLaren and has been paired with Norris for the 2023 championship. While the team’s results have been mixed so far, Brown is impressed with Piastri’s performance and sees great potential in him.
Piastri faced car troubles in Bahrain and Miami, which hindered his chances of scoring points. Additionally, a collision with Pierre Gasly in Saudi Arabia damaged his MCL60. However, Piastri managed to secure points with an eighth-place finish in his home race in Australia and narrowly missed out on points with an eleventh-place finish in Azerbaijan.
With four points compared to Norris’ ten, Piastri still has much to prove in the eyes of the public. However, Zak Brown remains resolute in his assessment of the young driver, stating that McLaren has a future World Champion on their hands. Brown praises Piastri’s focus, maturity, and technical abilities, noting that he has made only minor mistakes while pushing the limits.
Brown also highlights the combination of Norris and Piastri as an ideal pairing, describing them as two talented drivers who complement each other well. McLaren’s CEO acknowledges Norris’ potential and has previously expressed his belief that Norris is a World Champion in the making. However, Brown maintains his confidence in Piastri’s abilities and sees him as a valuable asset to the team.
While McLaren boasts talented drivers, their main challenge lies in the performance of their car, the MCL60. The team has struggled with a lack of downforce, as they underestimated the impact of this year’s floor regulation changes. McLaren is now working diligently to address this issue, with new team boss Andrea Stella emphasizing the meticulous nature of their recovery efforts.
Once McLaren manages to rectify the performance of their car, Formula 1 fans will have the opportunity to witness the true potential of both Piastri and Norris in their pursuit of a World Championship. Until then, Brown’s appraisal of his drivers can be seen as a team boss speaking highly of his lineup. The focus for McLaren now lies in their development work and ensuring that the car’s performance aligns with the talents of their drivers.
