McLaren signs 15 members from rival teams in a major overhaul of the Papaya team: Reports

McLaren is on an aggressive hiring spree, having reportedly signed 15 members from rival teams as part of a larger restructuring. The Woking-based team hopes to challenge the frontrunners in the coming years and is building towards that ambition.

The wheels are in motion for the team's grand plan of returning to winning ways in the coming future. The British team has hired senior Aston Martin aerodynamicist Mariano Alperin. Former Ferrari man David Sanchez will also join the team in 2024 to try and provide his expertise to the current squad.

McLaren has taken steps to expand its department by hiring 15 employees, a mix of current staff and those who will need to take a leave of absence from their current positions. According to reports, the senior executives are experienced professionals from esteemed teams like Ferrari, Red Bull, and Aston Martin.

In line with McLaren's recent restructuring, a new Technical Executive Team has been established by the Woking-based squad. The team comprises Sanchez, who will oversee vehicle concept, Peter Prodromou, who is in charge of aerodynamics, and Neil Houldey, who is responsible for engineering and design. The three executives will report directly to team principal Andrea Stella.

Charles Leclerc impressed with McLaren rookie

Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc praised McLaren's Oscar Piastri for his impressive performance during the qualifying session for the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The Australian driver delivered an exceptional performance, successfully advancing to Q3 in Jeddah.

Speaking about Piastri's qualifying performance, Leclerc told the media, including Sportskeeda:

“It’s impressive. Especially after a year off and [this is his] second race, in a street track, in a very challenging one – probably one of the most challenging of the season. To see him have such a performance is great, however, it’s not really a surprise with what he has shown in the past. I was pretty sure that he was extremely talented and he showed that today.”

Lando Norris, Piastri's teammate at McLaren, failed to qualify for Q2 after scraping the wall while heading into the final corner. Although neither driver managed to secure any points during Sunday's race, Piastri's performance suggests promising results in the future.

The next race on the calendar is in Melbourne, Piastri's home turf, where fans and analysts alike will be keen to observe his performance on familiar ground.