It looks like McLaren will be the only top team in Formula 1 heading into the 2025 season with the same driver pairing as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri return for another season.
They helped their team end a 16-year championship drought at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix by winning the Constructors’ Championship ahead of Ferrari.
Team boss Zak Brown couldn’t believe how McLaren’s owners celebrated the triumph, after turning the entire capital of Bahrain (Manama), into papaya colours for the result.
Piastri’s crash with Verstappen in Abu Dhabi, which blew the title wide open at one stage, proved he is more aggressive than Norris and can stand up to the Dutchman.
But the Brit did exactly what his team needed from him and claimed victory, so there cannot be many qualms about his performance.
Next year, Red Bull and Max Verstappen will need to improve to compete again, and McLaren will be aware that they are going to be hungrier than ever for more success.
Guenther Steiner calls on McLaren to pick Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri as number one driver early in 2025
The increased level of competition that is expected to arrive in 2025 – the final year of the current technical regulations, could force the Woking-based outfit to be more decisive than they were this season.
Ferrari were positively surprised by a 2025 update they brought to the Qatar Grand Prix, and if that works next year, then McLaren will be under more pressure to perform than ever.
Speaking to Champ1’s YouTube channel, Guenther Steiner called on McLaren to distinguish a number one driver earlier in the season to give them a better shot at the Drivers’ Championship.
“Next year will definitely not be easy for him with Oscar Piastri as teammate,” he said.
“At the beginning of the season, I think at McLaren there is no number one status for a driver and it’s decided at the beginning of the season who will eventually become number one because McLaren has definitely also learned from this year that at some point they will also get the driving title if they have it [and] want to win.
“Should they be in the position again next year, which I believe they are. They have to decide on a driver at some point because otherwise, they’ll lose the driver’s title again.”
Will Ferrari be stronger than McLaren in 2025?
With the arrival of Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari in 2025, there’s a good chance that the Italian outfit will find a way to improve their car from his experience alone.
It will help add some winning perspective to Charles Leclerc’s feedback and push them in a positive direction.
READ MORE: Ferrari are about to take a ‘risk’ with Lewis Hamilton’s first car after Frederic Vasseur hint
Team boss Fred Vasseur has turned their operation around inside just a few years, and they are considered to be the biggest threat to McLaren next season.
Red Bull have been trending in the wrong direction for a while and needs to do a lot of work over the winter to come out on top at the season-opening Australian Grand Prix next year.
However, McLaren are still the favourites to start the season on top, since they happened to end 2024 in the best form, with the best car.
