McLaren seals the constructors’ crown while Verstappen revives the drivers’ title
The same meticulous approach that earned McLaren its tenth world championship has also brought Max Verstappen back into contention for the drivers’ title.
McLaren was crowned the 2025 Formula 1 constructors’ champion on the very day Max Verstappen reopened the fight for the drivers’ crown. The common thread is the careful, foundational work that has propelled the Woking-based team to the top of Formula 1, the very same approach Red Bull used to regain momentum after a challenging summer. Evidently, Mercedes also took notes, achieving a surprise victory with George Russell on a track historically difficult for them, distancing themselves in the standings from a Ferrari that has now become the fourth force.
McLaren champions in every sense
McLaren celebrates its tenth constructors’ championship, and second in a row—a milestone made even more significant by the difficulty of repeating a title win. The consecutive triumph confirms that the 2024 success was no fluke, but the natural outcome of a structure solid both in human relations and in working methodologies. Expectations for 2025 predicted a close fight, considering the natural convergence of performance toward the end of the regulatory cycle, yet McLaren surprised everyone. The reigning champions presented a car innovative in every area, from power unit cooling to suspension geometry, a deeply evolved architecture with bold solutions that initially caused concern. The team did not rest on its laurels, consistently winning the development race by introducing updates that strengthened their advantage over the competition.
McLaren’s progression has been unstoppable and not limited to this year. Since the team began its ascent in 2023, every package brought to the track has worked flawlessly, with no correlation issues despite the ground-effect regulations that troubled many teams, often forcing them to discard updates. McLaren’s march forward reflects meticulous work on the fundamentals, developing a deep understanding of the physics at play, resulting in remarkable mastery of their car. After all, Andrea Stella’s squad won 12 of 18 races in a Formula 1 season where margins were among the closest ever, consistently within hundredths of a second. This achievement owes as much to flawless execution and racecraft as it does to the excellence of the MCL39 itself. The car made the difference, but the team made an even greater one.
Verstappen fights back
While the constructors’ championship is safely in McLaren’s hands, the drivers’ title remains uncertain. More significant than the points gained by Oscar Piastri is the message sent by Max Verstappen on a track where Red Bull’s technical deficit should have been obvious. During the race, Norris and Piastri occasionally demonstrated a slight pace advantage, particularly on used tires, though several mitigating factors must be considered. Verstappen’s first stint was affected by the aggressive choice of starting on soft tires, which allowed him to defend second place despite the disadvantage of starting on the dirty side. Throughout the evening, the Dutch driver struggled with shift-down issues under braking—problems reported for years and possibly worsened by the bumpy Singapore asphalt—without having had the chance to simulate a full-fuel race.
Regardless of the actual pace difference, Red Bull passed a critical test, proving that while they may not yet match McLaren, they are close enough to challenge them anywhere. Here too, the fundamentals-focused work led by Laurent Mekies during the summer proved crucial, conducting experiments to identify what was limiting the RB21 and guiding both development and setup decisions. Verstappen summarized the progress: “We tried everything with the setup because it wasn’t working. Some weekends it was fine, but now it has been solid for three consecutive weekends.” Though the points deficit remains significant, Verstappen and Red Bull position themselves as serious outsiders for the drivers’ title, backed by strong team cohesion amid growing tension between Norris and Piastri.
Mercedes secures a second victory for second place
The drivers’ championship drama almost overshadows George Russell’s impressive victory. On a street circuit where laps are crucial to building confidence, the British driver won despite missing the sole representative practice session. At the start, Russell capitalized on a clean-side grid slot, then leveraged his tire advantage over Verstappen by setting a relentless pace in the first stint, showing his ability to manage tire degradation. In the second half, his pace was not spectacular and sometimes slower than the Red Bull struggling with issues, yet Antonelli’s fifth place, for the second race in a row among the top five, highlights Mercedes’ strong performance at Marina Bay.
Mercedes did not bring miraculous updates to Singapore, aside from a new flap on the old front wing, with the last significant innovation being the Monza floor. Onboard footage alone cannot confirm increased flexibility of the front wing, as comparable speed references with competitors’ cars are missing. Austin will reveal whether Brackley has made important breakthroughs to guide preparation work. In the meantime, Mercedes enjoys a victory that strengthens their hold on second in the constructors’ standings, with Red Bull as their main challenger.
On the day McLaren confirmed its championship, Andrea Stella’s words from summer come to mind: “There is no magic formula in Formula 1. Success comes from work on the fundamentals, not just the ability to generate ideas or think about floor or wing geometry. It’s about understanding the methodologies you use, knowing that they will be effective not only for their innovation but because they give confidence that what you see in CFD or wind tunnel will translate to the track. This is how a team builds expertise, one of the most challenging aspects for a Formula 1 team.” Stella’s vision echoes the mantra of another former Maranello figure: “In the end, it’s about understanding.”
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