McLaren still haven’t fixed one 2024 problem that could hand Max Verstappen the championship

McLaren are looking to dethrone Max Verstappen in 2025 with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The Woking-based outfit have all they need to become champions.

After 26 years, McLaren won the constructors’ championship in 2024 by 14 points over Ferrari. The team boasted the strongest package from the midway point of the season and looked to carry the momentum into 2025, despite Norris losing to Verstappen by 63 points for the drivers’ title.

McLaren were the clear favourites after pre-season testing in Bahrain and they displayed their dominance in the opening two races. Norris converted pole to victory in Melbourne, while Piastri spun in the rain and came home ninth – the Aussie recovered with a commanding drive to win in Shanghai.

At the Japanese Grand Prix, the McLaren duo were beaten to pole by a stunning lap from Verstappen. In a race Piastri described as ‘boring’ – there was only one overtake in the top eight – Norris and the Aussie finished behind the Red Bull in second and third, giving the team a commanding lead in the standings.

McLaren could not catch Verstappen in the dirty air of the RB21 – a clean problem at Suzuka and with the current era of cars. F1 fans fumed over the clean air problem that ruined the race.

However, while that did play a factor in preventing McLaren from grabbing another victory, the team did not help themselves, with one 2024 struggle still proving to be a major issue.

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McLaren’s problem of who to prioritise with pit stops could hand Max Verstappen the 2025 title

A key moment in the Japanese GP was during the pit stops. McLaren opted to pit Piastri first, while Norris came in a lap later with Verstappen and Charles Leclerc.

The Brit and the Dutchman came out side by side, with the former running onto the grass on pit exit. Norris finished second to Verstappen by just 1.4 seconds, with Piastri seven tenths behind in third – but it could easily have been the win.

Red Bull produced a slower stop for Verstappen, while McLaren were a second quicker in the box for Norris. Had the team opted to bring the Brit in first, he could have undercut the Dutchman and cruised to victory in the clean air.

Jacques Villeneuve criticised McLaren for not being bold with their strategy. It is a problem that can be costly for the current championship leader – it did exactly that in 2024.

A prime example was the Hungarian Grand Prix, when McLaren pitted Norris first before leader Piastri, allowing the Brit to undercut his teammate. The Brit was ordered to hand the win to the Aussie, demonstrating how their indecisiveness can cost their drivers points.

With Verstappen now a point behind Norris heading into the Bahrain Grand Prix, the Dutchman could be handed a fifth consecutive title if McLaren cannot iron out their strategic woes.

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McLaren must decide whether to prioritise Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri if they want to win the championship

For many, McLaren’s solution is clear; they must choose which of their two drivers to prioritise in the title fight and fast.

The Woking squad have constantly stressed that they have two ‘number one’ drivers – evidenced by Piastri’s contract putting him level with Norris. The former has made it clear he wants to fight his teammate for the championship.

But such a battle could be damaging for their title chances. Helmut Marko is hopeful Norris and Piastri steal points from one another, which would give Verstappen a clear advantage – Yuki Tsunoda is highly unlikely to challenge the Dutchman at Red Bull.

Marc Priestley says McLaren must avoid a disaster by having Norris or Piastri dominate. They ‘desperately need’ one driver to be the ‘number one’ or risk another title slipping from their grasp.