Andrea Stella: “Red Bull has unlocked performance. Max back in contention”
According to McLaren team principal Andrea Stella, Max Verstappen’s victory at Monza was no accident. “From the way Max speaks on the team radios, there is a clear sense that Red Bull have found a way to run the car lower,” Andrea Stella explained. The Italian engineer also issued a warning to his drivers, noting that the Dutch driver could prove to be a serious thorn in their side during the final eight races of the 2025 season.
Even a single disappointing qualifying session was enough to make ghosts appear in the McLaren hospitality. The 2025 championship still has 224 points up for grabs in the drivers’ standings, with Max Verstappen currently trailing leader Oscar Piastri by 94 points. While the math is technically possible, the idea that Verstappen could recover such a large margin over eight Grands Prix (plus three sprint races) against the McLaren appears extremely unlikely.
Yet, yesterday evening Andrea Stella sounded the alarm. Perhaps the results from Baku qualifying have sparked a moment of pessimism within the team, but for some industry insiders, Stella’s comments are also intended to keep team morale high in preparation for the final championship run.
As is his custom, Stella explained why he believes the drivers’ championship is far from decided in favor of McLaren’s papaya-colored drivers, a perspective that began to form after the Italian Grand Prix.
“We analyzed the Monza race in detail,” Andrea Stella said. “It became clear that Red Bull’s performance in Italy should not be seen as an isolated case linked to a low-downforce track layout. I believe they slightly modified the car’s configuration, so it’s very possible they unlocked additional performance. From the way Max talks on the team radios, there’s a clear impression that they found a way to run lower.”
“I would not be surprised if Max Verstappen and Red Bull remain at the top after Monza’s pole and win, and after the new pole position achieved in Baku. I consider them serious contenders for victory in every upcoming race and for the drivers’ championship.”
Stella’s assessment is shared by engineers from other teams, but turning Verstappen into a serious title contender is another matter. For Oscar Piastri, finishing consistently in third place could be enough to keep Verstappen’s championship ambitions in check. To make the scenario as dire as Stella’s concerns suggest, Verstappen would need to encounter unexpected failures or ‘zero-point’ results in multiple races.
“There are tracks where we may not enjoy any competitive advantage,” Andrea Stella added. “Furthermore, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are often in the same area of the track, very close to each other, so it’s not guaranteed that they will maximize their points. And we must not forget that we’re dealing with Max Verstappen, four-time reigning world champion. So yes, Verstappen and Red Bull are very much in the race for the drivers’ championship.”
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