F1 | Maybe McLaren isn’t as dominant as it seems
Max Verstappen’s victories at Monza and Baku have revealed a potential Achilles’ heel for McLaren. With a championship gap of 69 points behind Oscar Piastri, is Max Verstappen truly in contention for the Drivers’ World Championship?
The title may appear provocative, but it was intentionally crafted to spark discussion. After all, McLaren has claimed only 12 wins and 27 podiums in 17 races this season. However, Verstappen’s overwhelming victories and the unusual struggles of the Woking team have highlighted a fact that should not be overlooked: the MCL39 has a weak point.
Over the years, we’ve witnessed several periods of technical dominance. Every car that has dominated a season shared one key trait: exceptional cornering performance driven by a remarkable ability to generate aerodynamic downforce. Historically, the tracks that reversed these hierarchies tend to be low-downforce circuits.
The need for this analysis stems from the fact that many F1 commentators believe the championship battle has reopened. Naturally, fans would love to see a new contender emerge within McLaren’s papaya fight. But objectively, it seems unlikely that Red Bull has resolved all the issues that caused McLaren difficulties during the summer.
According to Andrea Stella, the Milton Keynes engineers have managed to lower the RB21 effectively, which explains the Austrian team’s recent exploits. However, it must be noted that Red Bull also benefited from the specific characteristics of the Monza and Baku circuits.
McLaren is not always the fastest car on track
While there has been little competition on high- to medium-downforce circuits, this season has seen McLaren falter on a few occasions. Canada is a prime example, where the Woking team broke its positive podium streak for the first time.
The Circuit Gilles Villeneuve is essentially a stop-and-go track, featuring long straights and slow corners where braking performance and traction on corner exit are critical.
A similar scenario unfolded at Monza. Although the two papaya drivers finished second and third — partially thanks to other competitors failing to capitalize on the track’s atypical characteristics — they were still far behind Max Verstappen.
The same pattern occurred recently. The only MCL39 remaining on the grid was Lando Norris’s car, but as he confirmed, they never had the pace to challenge the cars ahead and fight back into podium positions.
Max Verstappen: the new anti-papaya?
With the championship deficit reduced to 69 points, many fans have begun to dream of a remarkable comeback for the Dutch driver, potentially claiming a fifth consecutive world title — an achievement no one has ever reached in F1 history. However, Verstappen is aware that this sense of dominance could fade starting from the next Singapore Grand Prix.
“69 points is a lot. I’m not really thinking about the championship. I take it race by race and try to do my best, aiming to score as many points as possible. After Abu Dhabi, we’ll see,” said the Red Bull driver. “Singapore will be different. It’s a high-downforce track, and there is a lot of tire degradation.”
In conclusion, Monza and Baku have merely highlighted a weak spot in McLaren’s MCL39. It doesn’t necessarily signal a recurring problem for the upcoming races. Verstappen has given hope to those dreaming of a comeback, but the reality still points to a dominant McLaren and a championship that, barring surprises, remains firmly in papaya hands.
Leave a Reply