SILVERSTONE, England (AFP) — McLaren boss Andrea Stella is proud of the way Formula One world champion Lando Norris and teammate Oscar Piastri have conducted themselves following last season’s battle for the drivers’ championship.

British driver Norris eventually overcame the Australian in a three-way fight, also involving Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, to clinch his maiden world title, even though Piastri had held a 34-point lead with nine races remaining.

There were several occasions where McLaren’s wish to ensure both Norris and Piastri raced on even terms were put to the test but relations between the pair remained cordial.

McLaren have been off the pace so far under new regulations for the 2026 season, with Mercedes leading the way from Ferrari.

But Stella has been pleased by the professionalism of his drivers.

“It wasn’t a given that, after last year — when they found themselves battling for the world title right up to the final race — the harmony they’d built would remain intact: yet not only has this not changed, but the relationship between them and with the team has actually become even stronger,” team principal Stella said in a McLaren Q&A.

“And whilst this might, in a sense, have been expected of Lando — given that he was ultimately the one to become champion — it was not quite so predictable for Oscar, who, instead, has relied even more heavily on the team to accelerate his development, both on and off the track.”

Mercedes teenage rising star Kimi Antonelli is 50 points clear of Ferrari’s seven-time former world champion Lewis Hamilton at the top of the 2026 drivers’ standings, with fifth-placed Norris a huge 91 points off the lead.

Norris, however, did win his first race of the season in Hungary before the current summer break and an optimistic Stella added: “If we can continue the season as we did in Budapest, I think we can still achieve a great deal.

“To do so, we must keep pushing with the development and ensure we outpace our rivals — who certainly aren’t standing still.

“There are still 12 races left on the calendar, so there are plenty of opportunities given that 546 points are up for grabs.”