Eddie Jordan expressed his admiration for the impressive debut season of Oscar Piastri with McLaren in Formula 1.
As the season progresses, teams and drivers are now under scrutiny for their performances throughout the campaign. Jordan acknowledged the benchmark set by Max Verstappen and Red Bull, emphasizing the pressure on Sergio Perez to deliver going forward. Perez’s season, starting strong but experiencing a significant drop-off compared to Verstappen, has been a point of concern.
Notably, AlphaTauri made a mid-season driver change, bringing in Daniel Ricciardo and Liam Lawson for Nyck de Vries. However, the team that stands out for finding the right setup and achieving a remarkable turnaround is McLaren.
At the beginning of the season, McLaren struggled, with both cars facing difficulties in finishing races and rarely challenging for points. However, the team’s resurgence has been remarkable, with McLaren currently occupying the fourth position in the Constructors’ Championship.
Eddie Jordan specifically highlighted the outstanding performances of Oscar Piastri, who, alongside Lando Norris, played a pivotal role in McLaren’s climb in the championship standings. The 22-year-old rookie even secured a Sprint Race win, a notable achievement that his more experienced teammate is yet to accomplish.
Jordan shared his perspective on McLaren’s season, stating, “I was very critical. I’ve been critical of McLaren in the past. I think whoever made the decision to leave Honda was an absolute fool’s paradise, it was the worst decision they could have ever made, but they’ve come back from it, you’re absolutely right.”
He went on to acknowledge the changes made by the team, stating, “So, full credit, they’ve changed the floor, and you have to give the drivers some credit for that. I think what Oscar [Piastri] has done in that team, he’s shown that the car must be really OK to drive.”
Acknowledging Piastri’s rookie status, Jordan emphasized the young driver’s ability to push the car to its limits. He stated, “Because he’s a rookie, you couldn’t expect him to know anything like what Lando [Norris] does or vice versa, but he’s able to drive the wheels off that car.”
Jordan speculated on the impact of Piastri’s performances on Norris, suggesting that the competition within the team has elevated Norris’s motivation. He added, “He doesn’t want to be beaten by his young teammate. There are a lot of things going for them.”
In conclusion, Jordan praised McLaren for exceeding expectations, stating, “A lot of people didn’t think they could ever aspire to come up and challenge the likes of Mercedes and Ferrari, but they certainly have. And the results are simply fantastic, two great young drivers.”