McLaren team principal Andrea Stella believes Oscar Piastri is comparable to F1 greats such as Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso.
Piastri signed a new contract with the team earlier this week that will see him race with the side until the end of 2026.
And Stella has now explained the thinking behind keeping the F1 rookie, who is currently competing in his first season.
“We saw the qualities at the attitudinal level, and these qualities have to do with being able to continuously improve,” he said.
F1: Oscar Piastri has signed a new contract with McLaren
“You may be as talented as I’m saying [he is], but there are a lot of people that were talented but didn’t lead anywhere because there was no attitude to continuous improvements.
“I think we have really good examples now on the grid of drivers that can keep being extremely competitive at ages that we didn’t think that will be obvious because of continuous improvements – just attitude to continuous improvements.
“In this sense I think this one is a similarity with Fernando [Alonso].
“Then we have the person behind the driver.
“For us it was important to make sure that the person that we keep on board is a person that not only fits our culture but will contribute to establishing the culture even more and potentially adding to the culture, adding to the values and the behaviours that make us become a team of mates.
“And in this sense Oscar, I have to say, from just a personal point of view, if he wasn’t a Formula One driver, I would appreciate him as a person.
“The values he brings into the sport and the values he brings into the collaboration with the team in this sense makes me think about Michael [Schumacher].
“Somebody who worked with Michael here in the paddock — he is at another team — said to me he was so capable of building families.
“It was definitely tough on track, but within the team, the spirit, the sense of unity was not short of like a family, a sense of family.
“So I think I’m referring to natural talent attitude and culture and values.
“These three things became apparent to us relatively soon, and that’s why the conversations started soon.”
Stella also said that he wanted Piastri to know his importance to the side, having previously had a year left to run on his existing deal.
“It is a new contract because it became very apparent for us that we wanted to secure this prospect and we wanted to realise the full extent of the collaboration,” he added.
“It came at the point in which it was very apparent for us that Oscar is the right driver for McLaren, because of the many, many reasons.
“I would like to say that this has been clear to us very early.
“The announcement comes now but actually the agreement was found pretty early on because what we needed to assess became clear and apparent to us very soon.
“I’m happy to say that the same was on Oscar’s side.
“It was recognised by both parties that this is the collaboration that should lead both parties – from a team point of view and from a driver point of view – into the future.”
Piastri, meanwhile, reacted to his new contract by saying: “I want to be fighting it out at the front of the grid with this team and I am excited by the vision and foundations that are already being laid to get us there.
“The welcome that I have received and the relationships that I have built make this feel like home already.
F1: Oscar Piastri has also been compared to Fernando Alonso
“The team’s consistent commitment to me has made me feel incredibly valued and the desire from the team for me to be part of its long-term future made this an easy decision.
“To be wanted like that – and for the team to show so much belief in me after just half a season – means a lot.”
