Andrea Stella names the only reason McLaren would choose a lead driver in the drivers' championship hunt

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has made it clear that the team will back only one driver in the title fight if the other’s chances are “closed by mathematics.” With Max Verstappen closing in fast, championship leader Oscar Piastri’s commanding lead has now been cut to 14 points over teammate Lando Norris after the United States GP.

It marks a tense period for McLaren, who have gone winless in four races, their longest drought of the year. The papaya outfit claimed 12 victories and seven 1-2 finishes in the opening 15 rounds, cruising into the summer break with Piastri 97 points clear at the top. But since then, a mix of strategic missteps and intra-team clashes has allowed Verstappen to reel them back in.

The rivalry between Piastri and Norris has simmered all season, although McLaren adopted a “free to race” philosophy from the start. However, with both drivers now in contention for the title, the situation has grown complicated.

Speaking to the media, Stella reaffirmed that team orders would only be issued when mathematically necessary.

“When it comes to having to make a call as to a driver, this will only be read by mathematics,” Stella said (via Planet F1). “You know, we talked before about the experience, and leaning on the experience, I can recall at least 2007, 2010, in which you go to the last race, and it’s actually the third (placed driver) that wins the championship. So we’re not going to close the door, unless this is closed by mathematics.”

That 2007 reference carries weight for McLaren. Back then, the team fielded double world champion Fernando Alonso alongside rookie Lewis Hamilton, who was leading the standings deep into the season. Alonso’s frustration boiled over in Hungary, where he blocked Hamilton in the pit lane after the Briton denied a team-ordered pass.

The fallout cost McLaren dearly, as former Ferrari driver Kimi Raikkonen overturned a 16-point deficit in the final five races to snatch the title. It’s a cautionary memory Stella seems determined not to repeat as Max Verstappen lurks within striking distance. The Dutchman has slashed the deficit to 40, with four races and two Sprints left in the season.

---

“He becomes a very serious candidate to win”: McLaren boss on Max Verstappen's threat

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella observes Max Verstappen's car at the Miami GP. Source: Getty

McLaren’s campaign has been far from smooth. In Australia, Oscar Piastri was told not to overtake Lando Norris until after clearing lapped traffic, only to lose valuable time once the opportunity vanished. In Canada, Norris clipped Piastri’s rear wing, ending his own race.

Monza saw team orders resurface when Piastri, despite qualifying ahead, was instructed to let Norris through following a pit stop delay, a reversal of the call made in Hungary earlier in the season.

The pattern continued. At Singapore, Norris escaped a penalty after colliding with Piastri, with “repercussions” promised but never disclosed. The Sprint race at COTA ended both their races on the opening corner after yet another clash.

These flashpoints have coincided with Max Verstappen’s resurgence, who has won three of the last four races. Speaking after the United States GP, Stella reiterated that Verstappen must not be underestimated.

“I said very clearly in capital letters that Max was in the contest for the Drivers' Championship, and when I say something, I mean it,” Stella told F1. “For me, there's no mystery. We know that when Max has the material to win, he becomes a very serious candidate to win. So, it doesn't change what our understanding of the situation is, it doesn't change what we do.”

The Italian engineer stressed the importance of execution over panic, saying:

“We just have to keep maximizing the performance and keep executing good weekends… The outcome of this season and the Drivers' Championship is in our hands, it's not in someone else's hands.”

McLaren may have already sealed the constructors’ championship in record time at Singapore, but their grip on the drivers’ crown has loosened. Last year, Norris mounted a brave challenge but fell 63 points short in the end. Verstappen, meanwhile, has thrived in tight championship fights before, like in 2021.

Adding to McLaren’s challenge is the fact that no further car upgrades are expected this year. The Woking team has already shifted its technical resources to 2026, while Red Bull continues to push through a steady stream of updates, with the chief engineer hinting that more are on the way.