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Oscar Piastri reveals that McLaren are “very aligned” regarding their tactics in the ongoing title battle between him and fellow driver Lando Norris.

The Australian driver mentioned that he “trusts” the team after extensive discussions following the incidents at the Italian Grand Prix, where Piastri was instructed to hand over P2 to Norris due to a pit-stop issue for the British driver.

Piastri maintains a advantage of thirty-one points over Norris as they head into this weekend’s Azerbaijan Grand Prix.

“A widely discussed moment. We’ve clarified many things, and we are clear on how we’ll compete from now on. What’s occurred is in the past,” stated Piastri.

“We’ve had numerous conversations about our racing philosophy, and much of that will remain confidential.

“If we divulge that info, we become easy targets because other teams will know our plans. Everything is well coordinated, but it stays in-house.”

Piastri explained that McLaren’s call to swap positions was influenced by the order of decisions leading up to the pit stops.

Norris had been ahead for McLaren throughout the race, but the team opted to bring in Piastri first, contrary to standard practice.

Piastri’s stop went smoothly, but Norris dropped precious time due to a problem with the left front tire. This resulted in Norris surrendering the position.

Because the team had decided an unusual pitting order, McLaren felt it was right to restore the natural order, even though they had established beforehand that a pit-stop problem was a natural aspect of racing that wouldn’t necessarily lead to such a call.

Piastri continued: “From the Italian GP, there was another factor beyond the delayed stop—namely the sequence of stops. That was a factor in why we swapped.

“That element I’m willing to discuss because it happened. We can’t anticipate every scenario, but we are very aligned, and I respect the team’s judgments and believe they will make every effort to choose correctly.

“The main takeaway for me from that race was that it was a event where I earned third place. I didn’t deserve second place based on my pace. I was quick at certain points but not throughout. That is my primary reflection.”

Piastri affirmed his radio remarks regarding delays being part of racing.

“That is a policy we’ve made, that a problematic stop is part of racing,” he said. “In the cockpit, I lacked the full context regarding the pit stop sequencing. So it was determined that there was another factor for the swap.”

Norris is set to speak to the media on Thursday afternoon.

Team Holds ‘Exceptional Position’ to Secure Title

McLaran are poised to secure the constructors' championship for the second consecutive year if results go their way in Baku.

They will achieve this if they outscore Ferrari by at least nine points, while ensuring they are not outscored by Mercedes by twelve points or Red Bull by 33 points.

If achieved, this would mark the earliest team championship secured in the sport’s history, with seven Grands Prix still left this season.

Piastri said: “It is a testament to all the dedication from the team. It is a pretty remarkable situation we are in to even be talking about clinching the team title this soon.

“It’s a very proud moment for everyone, myself included, and I’m just excited to get back in the car and showcase all their hard work.”

Another team driver Fernando Alonso, who had two periods with McLaren, praised the work of CEO Zak Brown and boss Andrea Stella for revitalizing the team’s performance in recent years.

“Recognition must go to Andrea and Zak for building a successful organization and car, but also for handling the racers for the benefit of the team,” Alonso stated.

“It is less exciting to watch and for the press because there is no drama in some of the victories—not yet anyway.

“But instead of thinking that way, we should recognize how skilled Andrea and Zak are at overseeing all aspects.”