The Shocking Reason McLaren Ditched Norris for Piastri Revealed- And It's Not What You Think

In a shocking revelation, Oscar Piastri's race engineer, Tom Stallard, has come out to reveal the underlying quality that has catapulted the young Australian driver to the top of the McLaren hierarchy, just ahead of more seasoned teammate Lando Norris. While many have pointed to Piastri's searing pace and razor-sharp reflexes as the reason behind his meteoric rise, Stallard suggests that there is more to the 22-year-old than meets the eye.

As the #81 driver continues to defy expectations and punch above his weight in only his second season in Formula One, whispers are abounding around the paddock about the McLaren Woking-based unit beginning to circle their wagons around the talented Aussie. Such has been the impact of Piastri on the fortunes of the once-flagging McLaren outfit, that murmurs of Norris' future at the team beyond the current season have begun to mount.

While the British driver has done little to justify his retention at the top of the proceedings, Piastri, on the other hand, has been quietly doing the business and reaping the rewards for his steadfast hard work, diligent preparation, and well-deserved career-defining performances since bursting onto the scene last season. Tom Stallard, who has been instrumental in shepherding the fortunes of Piastri on the technical front and pulling the driver's strategy levers from the pitwall, was at pains to emphasize Piastri's ability to remain calm in adversity as the critical variable responsible for turning the McLaren squad around the young driver.

Speaking to RACE magazine, the McLaren engineer said, "While it's always interesting to have to change the dynamic around a driver when it comes to set-up, this guy is super sharp on the job for someone of his age. You'd be forgiven for assuming he might struggle with certain technical stuff, so for him to pick that up so quickly is just ridiculous".

Stallard went on, "But that's the same with anything Oscar does – we say: 'OK, we've got to tackle this, Oscar', and he's always able to understand things at an uncanny level. Oscar has been exceptional in soaking up all the technical feedback without allowing himself to succumb to all the extraneous noise in this high-octane, highly-charged environment."

Moreover, he stressed that what draws the team around Piastri rather than driving it towards isolation is his unique ability to marry pace with sagacity. Rather than appearing flustered or overwhelmed when thrown to the fray of the most competitive F1 action, the Australian driver has showcased an uncommonly calm demeanor during the high-pressure moments when split-second decisions are drawn and can swing one's fate in either direction.

The Woking-based outfit, that won its last drivers' championship back in 2007 with Lewis Hamilton at the helm of proceedings, appears hell-bent on backing the young Aussie sensation to deliver on some long-overdue silverware – in McLaren's push to return to their halcyon days.