Norris' Mexico GP Win Bolsters McLaren's Title Hopes: 'We Can Dominate'

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella believes the team's strong performance, highlighted by Lando Norris's victory in Mexico, has significantly boosted their confidence in both the MCL39's competitiveness and their ability to challenge for the 2025 Formula 1 Drivers' Championship. Despite Max Verstappen reducing the points gap to Norris to 36, Stella emphasizes McLaren's proven race-winning capability and potential to dominate under certain conditions.

Why it matters:

McLaren's renewed confidence signals a serious challenge to the established order in F1. With Norris leading the championship and the team demonstrating consistent pace, McLaren is positioning itself as a legitimate contender, making the remainder of the season, and the 2025 championship fight, even more compelling. A competitive McLaren is crucial for a vibrant F1.

The Details:

• Championship Confidence: Andrea Stella stated that McLaren's confidence in challenging for the championship has "increased because we have proven that we have a car that can win races and in some conditions can dominate races."
• Focus on Competitiveness: The team's immediate priority is to maintain and enhance the MCL39's competitiveness rather than engaging in complex mathematical calculations regarding championship points.
• Stella emphasized: "I don’t think it’s about mathematics, I think it’s about competitiveness and it was important to confirm this competitiveness.”
• Norris's Lead: Lando Norris's victory in Mexico allowed him to reclaim the championship lead.
• Piastri's Learning Curve: Despite Oscar Piastri losing points to Verstappen, Stella views his weekend as a valuable learning experience, crucial for his development and performance in the latter part of the season.
  • Stella added: “Even if he lost some points to Verstappen, I think Oscar has got a lot of learning from this weekend and that’s a sort of an investment that you make to make sure that you are competitive in every condition in the final part of the season.”

What's next:

McLaren, its drivers, and the team principal are leaving Mexico feeling optimistic and encouraged for the remaining races of the season. Their focus will be on carrying this momentum forward, ensuring both Norris and Piastri are in the best possible position to continue challenging for wins and, ultimately, the Drivers' Championship. The sustained competitiveness demonstrated by the MCL39 suggests McLaren is gearing up for a strong finish and a significant push in the 2025 season.