Zak Brown has identified the “secret weapon” behind McLaren’s F1 success.

The Woking team developed the f🏅astest car in Formula 1 midway through last year, and wrestled the const﷽ructors’ championship away from Red Bull.

168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Lando Norris currently sits top of the drivers’ standings, after finishing behind teammate 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Oscar Piastri who won last weekend’s F1 Chinese Grand Prix.

But the difference-maker is an understated yet experienced voice in the garage, insists CEO 🀅Brown.

Andrea St🅰ella, their team principal, previously worked at Ferrari alongside Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen.

The Italian with an engineering bac꧋kground has been with McLaren for the past decade, starting out as their head of race operat🔯ions, but now has the top job in the racing team.

“The te🎐am did a great job with strategy,” Brown told Sky Sports after McLaren won in China.

“Once again we showed that we’ve got the best drive🧔r line-u♒p.

“But the real secret weapon is the best tea🌺m principal in Formu🎃la 1.

“Put that combo together - with the great work done at the 🦂MTC - and it’s pretty close. We’ve got to keep working.”

McLaren team principal hails Oscar Piastri

Stella reacted to Piastri and Norrisﷺ’ 1-2 finish: “The race was more tense than it might have looked.

“At a stop we lost a position to George Russell which we r𒉰ecovered with a great overtake by Lando.

“We were nervous, there w🦹as a lot of draining. It wasn’t cl𒅌ear [if rivals would go for a one-stop or two-stop strategy].

“Around 15-20 laps to the end, we developed a problem with the brake pedal. Lando did a great job wit෴h the team to manage through the problem. He adapted his driving style so it didn’t become a terminal problem.

“We ✃were 1-2 but there are 🦹opportunities to do even better.”

Piastri’s victory, particularly at th൩e Shanghai International Circuit, underlined his quick improvement.

2023 was his rookie season but he ha🌟s matured into one of F1’s best drivers already, and has bee🌞n tied down by McLaren to a lucrative new multi-year contract.

“Last year, this was one of the worst circuits fo♋r Oscar, one of the most difficult races for him,” Stella said.

“So the performance he pulled off shows how rapidly he grows 🅷and improves.

“On Lando’s side, to use his talent, he needs hi✅s car to behave in a certain way. Here, because of the tyres, it was hard to utilise. He acknowledged the situation, improved throughout the weekend, and without the problem with his brakes it could have been an even more tense finish for the Papaya team.”

Piastri’s tyre manag🌱ement was crucial in China, as his rivals struggled with their rubber. 🌳It is an aspect that he has significantly improved at, his boss insists.

“His tyre management, definitely. It is one of the most difficult things to get when you are a rookie - saving, but not going too slow. Now he does it well,” Stella saidꦦ.

“There are also technicalities around his driving style, I have✤ℱ seen him evolve.

“If you are capable of pulling these aspects together when it counts, and th🔯e car is competitive, then you can pull off these results.”

The F1 Japanese Grand Prix at Suzuka is next weekend. It is the third round of 2025 and offers McLaren a chance to buil🥀d on their lead in both championships.

“Based on the facts of the first two races, we are in good shape,” Stella sa💧id.

“Here, our advantage was a tenth or two. 🐷This is not much, we ꦑneed to improve the car.

“Formula 1 is in ⛄an incredible state with four teams who can win eveཧry race.”