Andrea Stella Reacts to Piastri’s “Cheeky” Comment Over Norris Tow in Spanish GP Qualifying

McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has addressed the brief intra-team flashpoint that surfaced during qualifying for the Spanish Grand Prix, after Oscar Piastri was heard calling Lando Norris “cheeky” over the team radio. The comment came after Norris picked up an unexpected tow from his teammate in the final corner, helping him go fastest in Q3–if only temporarily.



While many fans were quick to jump into speculation about tension brewing between McLaren’s two young stars, especially on forums and betting sites–particularly UK betting sites not on GamStop , where bettors often turn for a wider variety of odds and fewer restrictions–it seems there’s little cause for alarm from within the team. These non-GamStop platforms continue to grow in popularity not just because of betting flexibility but because they allow fans to wager on unique head-to-head driver matchups that can spice up a qualifying session or race weekend.



In the moments leading up to that final flying lap in Q3, Piastri had been the standout performer, setting the pace through Q1 and Q2. On his first run in the final segment, he looked poised for pole. But in a twist, Norris capitalized on the aerodynamic tow provided by Piastri on the long straight into the final corner, something the team hadn’t pre-planned. As Piastri was informed over the radio that Norris would pass him on the charts, he delivered his one-word verdict with a dry chuckle: “Cheeky.”



It was a short-lived advantage for Norris, however, as Piastri went on to reclaim provisional pole in the second run, ultimately securing his fourth pole position of the season. He then backed it up in the race by leading home a commanding McLaren 1-2.



Still, the moment sparked questions about how closely matched teammates could navigate high-stakes qualifying and races, especially with both now fighting at the front. Stella, speaking after the race, dismissed the incident as minor and used it to highlight the need for improved communication from the pit wall rather than blaming the drivers.



“It was a minor situation,” Stella said. “We always tell our drivers like, ‘Don’t leave anything in the back of your mind, anything, throw it out, say what you think’. In this case, I think that Oscar’s comment was to highlight a situation that we didn’t discuss before.”



He continued, “In itself it’s not anything too controversial, but we sort of did not discuss that before and we don’t want to surprise our drivers with situations that we didn’t discuss before, so a little bit to take on for the team rather than for the drivers.”



With more tight battles expected as the season progresses, particularly if McLaren can consistently challenge Red Bull and Ferrari, Stella acknowledged that his squad will have to sharpen internal planning .



“We have to do some homework and be ready even more for the coming races, which surely will be interesting.”



Asked whether having two drivers racing wheel-to-wheel would complicate team briefings in the future, Stella was quick to rule out any signs of strain between Norris and Piastri.



“The briefing is not getting like tougher,” he explained. “The conversations are the same that we always have. Obviously when the two drivers start one next to each other and there is 800 metres to corner one, you might have to reiterate every detail of the way we go racing together, but so far I just can only be very grateful to Lando and Oscar, who have approached this internal competition with a great sense of responsibility and pretty much sticking to the letter to what are our racing principles and approach.”
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