Oscar Piastri 'charisma' key to McLaren fightback after horror start

McLaren boss Andrea Stella believes Oscar Piastri's "charismatic leadership" has been key to guiding the team through a rocky start to the season.

Across the first three races of the season, McLaren has posted three Did Not Starts, with Piastri crashing out on the way to the grid of the season-opening Australian GP, whilst both he and team-mate Lando Norris failed to start in China due to power unit electronic glitches.

However, Piastri qualified third and roared into the lead in Japan and looked comfortable fending off George Russell before the safety car gifted Kimi Antonelli the lead, with Piastri ultimately finishing second. 

The Australian is now into his fourth season of grand prix racing as Stella detailed how through "the adversity", Piastri had emerged as a leader.

"If anything, I think we have seen his steadiness and his strength, which he has been able to pass onto the team," Stella told media, including RacingNews365, of Piastri. 

"Because the team gets a lot of inspiration from his charismatic leadership, which the drivers can offer, and that has definitely been a boost for the entire team, through the adversity.

"So really well done to Oscar for the ways he's been facing this stuff, and now it is the responsibility of McLaren and the team to offer Lando and Oscar a car which can compete for victories.

"If we want to be in this position in the future, consistently, we will have to improve the chassis by a few tenths of a second, and that's the aim we have in relation to bringing upgrades in the coming races."