The McLaren team has thus far demonstrated one of the most commanding performances in the chronicles of Formula 1, with the squad based in Woking poised to secure their championship title in the constructors’ category.
The squad in papaya livery requires a mere 13-point accumulation at the upcoming Singapore event to match Red Bull’s achievement from 2023, claiming the championship with the maximum number of races still remaining in the season.
McLaren’s dominance has been so pronounced that their point total exceeds double that of Mercedes in second place, in addition to clinching victory in 12 of 17 races, including seven instances of first and second-place finishes.
A significant contributing factor is the MCL39, lauded by many as an exceptional Formula 1 design, while also prompting curiosity among rival teams regarding McLaren’s substantial enhancements for the 2025 season.
Nonetheless, the McLaren drivers are hesitant to embrace the idea of the MCL39 possessing a decisive advantage, despite their results – particularly Lando Norris, who trails only Oscar Piastri in the driver standings.
Norris encountered challenges during the recent Azerbaijan Grand Prix, qualifying in seventh position due to a decision to record a Q3 lap ahead of competitors who subsequently benefitted from track improvements.
Charles Leclerc, Ferrari, Lando Norris, McLaren, Yuki Tsunoda, Red Bull Racing Team
Photo by: Mark Sutton / Formula 1 via Getty Images
This strategy was employed following a tumultuous qualifying session marked by six red flag incidents coupled with potential rainfall, motivating Norris to mitigate the risk of being unable to set a lap later in the session. Despite more stable conditions during Sunday’s race, the British driver still struggled, ultimately securing seventh position without any progress.
He spent considerable time behind Yuki Tsunoda, whose Red Bull counterpart, Max Verstappen, dominated from pole position for the second consecutive Grand Prix after Monza.
“We weren’t particularly quick, to be frank,” expressed Norris. “I wouldn’t characterize our performance as poor, but I struggled to keep pace with Tsunoda, and on portions of the track, the Red Bull exhibited astonishing speed.”
“This weekend presented evident challenges. The vehicle proved difficult to manage – at times precarious – easily erring on the side of being excessively slow, or alternatively, appearing competitive before encountering a lock-up or malfunction. The car inspired limited confidence this weekend, reflected in both our performances.”
He alludes to his teammate, Piastri, who likewise faced difficulties during the Azerbaijan round. He missed a significant portion of FP1 due to a power unit issue, concluded FP2 in 12th position after hitting the Turn 15 wall, and encountered slides at Turns 1 and 4 in the final practice session.
His struggles extended into qualifying, with the championship contender only managing ninth position after a Q3 crash resulting from misjudging grip levels at Turn 3. Piastri’s race ended prematurely on the first lap after impacting the Turn 4 barrier, ending a 34-race streak of point-scoring finishes.
Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren
Photo by: Rudy Carezzevoli / Getty Images
Even with improved performances from the McLaren drivers, Norris remains skeptical of their ability to challenge Verstappen, suggesting the Azerbaijan race exposed the MCL39’s limitations and its reduced adaptability compared to rival vehicles.
“I don’t think we possessed the pace of Red Bull,” Norris stated. “That much was abundantly clear. We continue to encounter challenges on tracks that demand lower downforce. We lack the requisite confidence. While the car demonstrates moments of speed, we struggle to consistently reproduce it, unlike the Red Bull, for instance.”
“Despite an impressive season thus far, we acknowledge shortcomings that necessitate continuous improvement.”
Evidence supports the nine-time Grand Prix victor’s assertions. Monza, another low downforce circuit, witnessed Verstappen’s dominance, as did Montreal, where Mercedes’ George Russell secured pole position and the race victory. In contrast, McLaren’s Canadian Grand Prix ended without a podium finish, and Norris’ race concluded after contact with his teammate.
Therefore, Norris voiced his displeasure with reactions expressing surprise at McLaren’s failure to secure victories in every race, a situation reminiscent of Verstappen’s dominance with the fastest vehicle. “People should temper their surprise at their speed,” he remarked regarding Red Bull. “Max had already won races earlier in the year.”
Consequently, the 25-year-old anticipates a continuation of this trend throughout the remaining seven events of the 2025 season. “Vegas presents another anticipated challenge,” Norris stated to Sky Sports F1.
Lando Norris, McLaren
Photo by: Pauline Ballet / LAT Images via Getty Images
This is in line with his consistent insistence that the MCL39 is not as straightforward to drive as appearances might suggest. McLaren’s 2025 contender favors a passive approach to corner entry to optimize exit speed, whereas Norris indicated in March that he prefers an aggressive entry style.
He had to adjust his driving style accordingly, and Norris believes the Baku race provided another instance of the car proving difficult to control.
“The errors made by Oscar and myself underscore the continued challenge in driving this car,” he added to Sky. “It displays incredible speed at times, but on circuits like this and others, it can punish you for even slight miscalculations.”
“That is what we are actively addressing. It is difficult to quantify, but yes, it can be unforgiving. It penalized me this weekend, and it penalized Oscar.”
His perspective aligns with that of team principal Andrea Stella, who concurred that McLaren lacked the necessary vehicle performance to win in Baku.
“We had hoped to possess a car capable of overtaking, but the reality today is that the car lacked the speed to remain in close proximity to the car ahead exiting the final corner, thus precluding overtaking maneuvers down the straight,” Stella explained.
“This resulted in Lando spending the entirety of the race in traffic, despite believing the car had more to offer.”
“Overall, as I mentioned yesterday, these types of circuits do not appear to complement the inherent strengths of our car. Nevertheless, the car definitely held more potential than demonstrated yesterday in qualifying, and we did not fully exploit it today during the race.”
Additional reporting by Cihangir Perperik and Oleg Karpov
