How is Oscar Piastri creating a logistical dilemma for McLaren?

The question of how two identically engineered race cars can differ in output has been a recurring subplot in McLaren's standout 2025 Formula 1 season. The answer may lie in something as foundational as suspension geometry.

As McLaren edges toward one of its strongest championship campaigns in years, a quiet difference in car specification between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri has come to the fore. And Piastri not adopting the front suspension tweak is creating logistical challenges inside Woking.

Oscar Piastri and Team McLaren (81) after Qualifying at the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain. Source: Getty

McLaren introduced the new suspension mounting points, mainly to the front upright, at the Canadian Grand Prix. Crucially, the modification wasn't framed as a direct performance upgrade but rather a change in steering feedback and front-end feel, something that Norris had struggled with more acutely than Piastri. Norris adopted the change immediately, while Piastri continued with the original specification.

The split has left McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella juggling more than just car setups. While the distinct specifications don't inhibit performance comparisons, Stella admitted they are complicating more practical areas of team operations.

"The different front suspension set-up does not complicate the way we look at the data, nor the way we compare how well the two cars are doing from a car performance point of view or a driving performance point of view. That's not a problem itself. If anything, it is more a problem from a parts point of view, because we need to have various specifications that we carry with us," Stella told reporters (via Crash Net.com).

The growing divide in mechanical configuration forces the team to plan and produce multiple spec parts, particularly with the development race heating up in the latter half of the season. McLaren would prefer to unify both cars to streamline logistics and part usage.

Lando Norris (4) McLaren MCL39 Mercedes before the F1 Grand Prix of Spain. Source: Getty

But the Australian has remained firm in his rationale. To Oscar Piastri, this isn't an upgrade with guaranteed gains.

"I think the thing is, for me, it's not an upgrade. It’s just something that is different. It makes some things potentially a bit better. It makes some things a bit worse. If it was just all benefits, I would be putting it on with no questions asked. But for me, I've not really struggled with that kind of particular feeling," Piastri told media ahead of Silverstone.

Unlike Norris, who wrestled earlier in the year with a lack of front-end clarity and turn-in precision, Piastri has adapted well to the baseline MCL39. He's seen the suspension option as a lateral move rather than a vertical step, especially when his form this year hasn't needed a change in fundamental car behaviour.

Meanwhile, Norris has bounced back with consecutive wins in Austria and at his home race in Silverstone since the change. While the wins can't be solely attributed to the suspension change, Norris himself has acknowledged that even marginal gains in feedback and consistency could be aiding his comfort.

"It could be that it's helping me and when I say helping, it's helping me by hundredths, thousandths... Yes, I won two races since. I was real quick in Canada (as well). I'm not going to say it's down to that, obviously... I put it way more down to that than some alterations on the suspension," Norris said (via Racer).

With post-Canada results now showing a distinct improvement for Norris, Piastri's early-season lead in the Drivers' standings has gone down to just eight points.

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McLaren's internal balancing act of managing a Championship battle

McLaren's Oscar Piastri, Lando Norris, and Zak Brown after the British Grand Prix. Source: Getty

McLaren has racked up 460 points through 12 rounds, more than double the next-best Ferrari on 222. It has naturally shifted the talk within the team from development gains to managing a championship duel between two fiercely competitive, yet level-headed drivers.

In the dying laps at Circuit Gilles-Villeneuve, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris collided. Norris retired on the spot, as Piastri limped home in fourth. For a team riding high on momentum, it could've been a fracture point. Instead, it became a reset.

"I think Montreal was actually a nice moment for all of us, in hindsight, that it just kind of took the air out of the balloon and we just kind of got it over with and everyone was talking about it. I kind of feel like it's raised everyone's confidence and comfort," McLaren CEO Zak Brown told F1. com after British GP.

Norris took responsibility, and the drivers remained cordial after the crash. Importantly, McLaren has avoided taking sides. There's been no favoritism, no team orders.

"We'll treat them equally and fairly, and may the best man win. They're both very clean drivers so that's what's cool, you don't feel like one's going to run one off the track. They're going to fight hard. Mistakes will happen along the way, but I think it's going to be an epic battle down to the final race," Brown added.

Piastri leads the standings with 234 points, Norris sits on 226, and Max Verstappen is over 60 points adrift. Unless one falters, it's shaping into a two-horse race in papaya.