Verstappen Gains Ground, But McLaren Still Favored in Title fight
Baku, Azerbaijan – Max Verstappen’s victory at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix has tightened the drivers’ championship standings, reducing his deficit to Oscar Piastri to 69 points with seven grands prix remaining.Despite the narrowing gap, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella believes his drivers, Piastri and Lando Norris, remain in a strong position to challenge for the title.
Stella initially acknowledged Verstappen as a championship factor even before the race in Baku, stating a firm “yes” when asked if the reigning four-time World Champion was a contender. He cautioned that McLaren’s advantage isn’t guaranteed at every circuit and highlighted the potential for internal competition between Piastri and Norris to impact overall points accumulation. “Sometimes there will be a little bit more points for Lando, a little bit more points for oscar, so they may take some points away from each other,” Stella explained. “We are very aware of this aspect, but we let them race, because they both deserve to pursue their aspirations.”
To overtake Piastri, Verstappen would need to close the gap at an average of just under 10 points per race, including upcoming sprint races in Austin, Sao Paulo, and Qatar. While possible, analysts consider this a challenging feat. McLaren is anticipating tracks where their car will perform strongly, following recent races on circuits less suited to their strengths.
Stella reiterated his concerns post-race, acknowledging Verstappen and Red Bull’s continued contention. Though, the article notes that objectively assessing the situation suggests Verstappen’s chances are slim, particularly if Piastri and norris maintain their current form.The team believes consistent strong performances from both drivers should be enough to secure the championship, even accounting for recent improvements from Red Bull. A repeat of the Baku performance from both McLaren drivers, however, would understandably cause concern.
