Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is suddenly terrifyingly close to the front of the drivers’ championship after dominating the United States Grand Prix. While Lando Norris finished second to cut teammate Oscar Piastri’s lead, Verstappen is now just 40 points behind Piastri with five races left, injecting chaos into the McLaren camp.
The big question for the Woking team is how to handle the Dutchman without sacrificing their principles.
Playing Fair is the Policy
McLaren’s team principal Andrea Stella is adamant that they won’t abandon their philosophy of “fairness and equanimity” between their two drivers. This is despite the championship being on the line and Verstappen closing in fast.
Stella, a veteran of many tense title fights (including winning the 2007 title with Kimi Räikkönen and losing the 2010 title with Fernando Alonso), stated they will continue to let the drivers race and that any strategic calls will only be “led by mathematics.”
As Stella put it, “We look at the next five races as opportunities to increase the gap on Max… We’re not going to close the door unless this is closed by mathematics.”
For McLaren, the goal is simple: maximise performance, execute clean weekends, and ensure the title outcome “is in our hands. It’s not in someone else’s hands.”
Why McLaren Hit the Brakes on Upgrades
McLaren started this year with arguably the best car, thanks to their innovative 2025 design. Yet, they have now stopped developing it, while Red Bull caught up after introducing a new floor and front wing at the Italian Grand Prix.
This decision was a classic F1 conundrum: focusing on the current car versus preparing for the massive 2026 regulation change.
- The 2026 Risk: The future regulations involve radical changes, including smaller, lighter cars (a 30kg reduction), increased electrical power (a 300% rise in MGU-K output), and the introduction of active aerodynamics (moveable front and rear wings). Getting the initial concept wrong in this new era can leave a team playing catch up for years, as Red Bull proved after the last regulation change.
- Diminishing Returns: McLaren saw “diminishing returns” on their 2025 development. They decided the “bang for buck” was better spent making sure they nail the new 2026 rules, rather than wasting resources for tiny gains this year.
🧐 The Switcher’s Struggle
The conversation about the title fight leads to the difficulty of adapting to a new team. You have suggested that both Lewis Hamilton (at Ferrari) and Carlos Sainz (at Williams) have now proven themselves the equal of their teammates in their first season, though the premise is complicated.
- Sainz/Albon: It’s certainly true that Sainz and Alex Albon now look evenly matched at Williams.
- Hamilton/Leclerc: The case for Hamilton being the “equal” of Charles Leclerc is less clear. While Hamilton is much closer than he was earlier in the season, he has not beaten Leclerc consistently, either in qualifying or on Sundays. He was a full second behind Leclerc when the Monegasque pitted in Austin. Both drivers have confirmed that switching teams demands a huge mental reset, though not all struggle; Fernando Alonso was instantly on the pace when he joined Aston Martin in 2023.
When Will We Know the 2026 Order?
For fans eager to know who will dominate the next era, the wait will be excruciating. No one will know the true pecking order until the cars run for the first time.
- First Look: The official sense of relative performance will only emerge during the two pre-season tests in Bahrain, scheduled for 11-13 and 18-20 February next year.
Related Topic: Formula 1
