McLaren have been the team to beat in 2025, and it’s hard to see anyone catching them before the summer break.
Red Bull haven’t found the right upgrades, and Max Verstappen is now 97 points off the lead with 10 races left.
READ MORE: Pierre Gasly responds to Max Verstappen comparisons amid Alpine’s struggles
A one-two finish in the next race would see McLaren equal the record for most consecutive one-twos in F1 history.
Lando Norris trails Oscar Piastri by nine points and is pushing hard for a title. That guarantees some action between them on track, but it’s up to McLaren to keep things under control.
From day one, McLaren stuck to a clear philosophy with their car, making sure they didn’t stray from what was working.
Coulthard added that while they’re still young drivers learning on the job, their success so far will only make their rivalry more intense as long as McLaren stays ahead of everyone else.
Norris has already made it clear he wants his team to handle things better than Red Bull did during his time alongside Verstappen. How well McLaren manages this situation could determine who comes out on top by season’s end.
McLaren’s 2025 dominance fuelled by wind tunnel upgrades
Piastri has steadily improved each year he’s been with McLaren, but the team’s progress off the track has played just as big a role in their recent success.
When he first arrived in early 2023, getting out of Q1 was a struggle. Now, no one seems to have an answer for how to close the gap to McLaren’s drivers.
Norris had an ‘undervalued’ trait in Formula 2, which could pay dividends for him later in the current title race. He knows how to stay in contention.
After months of complaints from Red Bull about things such as brake cooling and front wings, a reason for McLaren’s dominance might have been provided.
Speaking on Reddit, journalist Julianne Cesaroli pointed out that much of McLaren’s recent success can be linked to improvements made at their testing facilities.
“They just updated the simulator and wind tunnel,” she said. “They should be able to get more out of this new equipment.”
Oscar Piastri’s early signs of potential noticed by Mark Webber
One of the smartest decisions Piastri made after joining Formula 1 was bringing on fellow Australian and former Red Bull driver Mark Webber as his manager.
With recent experience in the sport and strong relationships across the paddock, Webber has been well-placed to help guide one of the sport’s emerging talents.
Webber said he first realised Piastri had the makings of a championship contender during pre-season testing, when he noticed some impressive changes his driver had made.
Guenther Steiner has warned that McLaren could be heading toward a collision course if they’re not careful. With 10 races still to go, there’s plenty of time for things to get messy.
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