McLaren champion in 2025: Gunther Steiner believes it
In the latter half of last season, Gunther Steiner voiced his opinion on who, between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen, would win the 2024 World Championship. The former Haas Team Principal had chosen the Briton from McLaren, a prediction that ultimately proved incorrect. However, just weeks before pre-season testing begins, the Bolzano-born engineer hasn’t changed his mind about the team he believes will top the Constructors’ standings. In an interview with *gpblog.com*, Steiner acknowledged the fierce competition among the top teams but stated that McLaren will prevail again:
“My favorite, in terms of performance, is McLaren,” he said. “They were very strong last year, and I think they’ve gained a lot. They’ll prepare much better because they’ve had time to reorganize, and they have a very strong driver lineup with Norris and Piastri. They’ve gained a lot of confidence from last year, which also helps. So, they’re my favorites, but it won’t be a walk in the park. If they make mistakes or hesitate, they’ll end up like last year. They need to trust themselves more in what they can achieve.”
Ferrari with Lewis Hamilton
McLaren, after a lackluster start to the championship, managed to surpass Ferrari in the final race of the season, securing a win for the first time since 1998. Now, the question is whether Woking can confirm their resurgence, especially with Ferrari reinforced by the arrival of Lewis Hamilton, determined to claim his eighth world title:
“With Ferrari, you never know how good the car will be; that’s always the biggest question,” Steiner continued. “But I think last year, especially toward the end of the season, they started good development and made the right moves. They were very solid, very well-organized. Obviously, everyone is on edge, and Fred Vasseur wants a World Championship, as does Lewis with his eighth title. So, I think they’ll be very competitive too.”
Mercedes and Red Bull: two uncertainties
Steiner’s real uncertainty regarding next season’s teams focuses on Mercedes, particularly their new lineup featuring Russell and rookie Kimi Antonelli following Lewis Hamilton’s departure:
“Last year, they had some very good races, while others were very disappointing,” Gunther Steiner said. “I wouldn’t say their driver lineup is the weakest, but it’s the most unknown because Antonelli deserves the benefit of the doubt. He’s 18 years old and has never raced in F1, having only done one FP1 session.”
As for Red Bull, Gunther Steiner doesn’t believe they’ll win the championship either, despite having four-time world champion Max Verstappen:
“I think Lawson is still a rookie, even though he raced a few times last year and in 2023,” Steiner concluded. “That still makes him a rookie, but Red Bull has Verstappen, and having Max helps. In my opinion, he’s the most talented driver right now, but their second driver isn’t on par with Ferrari’s or McLaren’s second driver, so they’re weaker there. With Red Bull, you just have to see if they find their footing again after last year. I think McLaren is the favorite, followed closely by Ferrari. The other two, for me, are more of an unknown. They could be very strong, but they might not be. They’ll always be competitive in Formula 1 and capable of podium finishes, but they might not be the teams to win the World Championship.”
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