🔗 Share this article

Must McLaren Accept Reality of F1 - That if You Want Win, It's Not Always Possible to Be Fair?

McLaren are fully conscious of the challenge they face with Verstappen and Red Bull in the drivers' championship this year, but they see no reason to change their strategy to running the team.

They will continue to provide their two drivers the optimal opportunity they can and run the team on a basis of equity and equanimity.

"This is the way we plan racing. This remains the philosophy in which we tackle competition, and we want to stay equitable, and we want to apply equality to our drivers."

Team principal Andrea Stella is a veteran of many championship fights. He won the title as race engineer to Raikkonen in 2007 when the Ferrari racer made up 17 points under the old scoring system in two Grands Prix to win the title, while the McLaren team imploded.

And he lost the title as race engineer to Alonso in 2010, when the Ferrari team made errors in their strategy at the final race of the championship and enabled Sebastian Vettel and the Red Bull team to snatch the title from under their noses.

Stella stated following the Grand Prix in Austin: "We view the next five races as chances to increase the gap on Max. And when it involves having to make a decision as to a team driver, this will only be led by the numbers."

"We rely on the experience. I can remember at least 2007, 2010, in which you reach the final Grand Prix and it's actually the third-placed driver that claims the title. So we're not going to make decisions unless this is determined by the calculations."

Why Did McLaren Stop Upgrades on The Current Car?

Every team this season have had to face the conundrum of for how long to focus on their 2025 car while also ensuring they are as prepared as they can be for the significant regulation change coming for the 2026 season.

In F1, it's typically the situation that if a constructor makes mistakes at the beginning of a new regulation period, it can take a considerable period to catch up. And if they succeed, that benefit can continue for some time - consider Red Bull in 2022 and 2023, the last time the rules were modified.

McLaren began this year with the fastest car, after putting a lot of technical development into their 2025 design.

They did continue to develop it for a while, but were finding diminishing returns. So when evaluating the bang for buck they were getting on their 2025 season car compared to the 2026 car, it became an easy decision to redirect attention to next year.

Red Bull have closed the gap since introducing their new underfloor and front wing at the Monza Grand Prix, but the McLaren remains competitive - team principal Stella stated he thought Lando Norris had the pace to challenge for the win in Austin had he not finished behind Charles Leclerc.

"We must continue maximising the car performance and keep executing strong race weekends. And from this perspective, if you think of a Grand Prix like Baku City Circuit, we didn't maximise the car's potential and we didn't deliver a flawless race."

"So definitely we have a significant chance, and the outcome of this championship and the drivers' championship is in our hands. It's not placed in another team's control."

Driver Transfers: How Challenging Is It to Change Constructors?

Initially, it's uncertain the inquiry has an entirely correct basis. It's correct that each of Hamilton and Carlos Sainz had slightly difficult first halves of the championship, in different ways, and that they are currently faring significantly improved.

Carlos Sainz and Albon currently look quite balanced. However, it's not so clear that, in Lewis Hamilton's case, he is yet the "match" of Charles Leclerc - or not regularly, anyway.

Lewis Hamilton has failed to outperform Leclerc frequently at all this year, either in qualifying or race.

He is currently much closer than he was. He is consistently setting times within a small fraction of a second of his teammate, but in qualifying battles it's 4-2 to Charles Leclerc since the mid-season break.

This last weekend in Texas, on one of Hamilton's favourite circuits, he was a full second slower than Leclerc when the Monegasque completed his pit stop, and dropped 13 seconds over the remaining portion of the race.

In hindsight, Leclerc was on the best race strategy. Regardless, over the championship, and even currently, it's hard to argue that on balance Charles Leclerc has not been the superior Ferrari racer this season.

Both Hamilton and Sainz have talked about how challenging it is to switch teams, and we have to accept their statements.

Lewis Hamilton would not say even now that he was completely adjusted to the Ferrari car - and he is expecting the regulation changes next year will suit him; he has never really enjoyed these venturi cars.

There is a lot for a racing driver to get their head around when they change constructors, as Lewis Hamilton has explained many times this season. But not all struggle in this way.

Alonso, for instance, was performing well from the start of the 2023 season when he transferred to the Aston Martin team. And would Max Verstappen struggle if he switched teams? I believe most in F1 would anticipate he wouldn't.

When Will We Know Next Year's Team Performance?

Until the F1 cars run for the first time in winter testing next year, nobody will know how the constructors are looking next year.

The first test, in Catalunya on 26-30 January, is private because the constructors preferred to get their heads around their first running of the power unit changes without the prying eyes of the press.

So the two tests in Sakhir on 11-13 and 18-20 February will be the initial occasion some kind of indication of relative performance emerges.

But, as always, it's only at the season opener that the complete and precise situation will become clear.