Formula One rookie Oscar Piastri put up an impressive rookie season in 2023, scoring two podiums in his first-ever season. Piastri surprised many with his performance in 2023, with McLaren boss Zak Brown claiming he kept Lando Norris “on his toes” over the year.

While the Australian managed numerous brilliant displays of skill, one stood out for McLaren team principal Andrea Stella. Stella claimed Piastri’s best race of the 2023 season came with his podium finish at the Japanese Grand Prix. Having never driven at the Suzuka circuit, Piastri managed to finish third in his first race at the venue known for its narrow straights and unforgiving nature.

On a track like Suzuka he put it in P2 on the grid, we really need to reflect for a second on the extent of this result.

Stella said, as reported by motorsport.com

Piastri pulled off a similar feat at the Qatar Grand Prix as well, scoring his debut win at the sprint race as well. The F2 champion also took second place ahead of Lando Norris in Qatar, the only time he was able to stand above his teammate on the podium all season.

Zak Brown unconcerned about the rivalry between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris

Formula One is unique in the fact that it is both an individual as well as a team sport simultaneously. The drivers for their respective teams work towards maximizing their results, a mutually beneficial feat. However, when two drivers from the same team compete at a similar level such at McLaren, personal benefit could outweigh the best interests of the team.

With both McLaren drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris recording podium finishes in 2023 in an incredible comeback for the team, future seasons could see the two drivers begin to battle each other. However, Zak Brown is unbothered by the prospect, claiming both athletes are aware that differences in race results could occur.

Not a concern, there's an awareness that anytime you have two drivers that one is going to have to beat the other at some weekends. They're super competitive right now, you feel a real energy around them driving for the team.

Zak Brown said, as reported by motorsport.com

McLaren has had extremely turbulent rivalries within the team at multiple instances in the past, most notably in the 1988 and 1989 seasons when Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost battled for the championship. A more unfortunate instance was in 2007, when both McLaren drivers Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton lost the championship by just a point.

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