McLaren worthy winners
And that makes ten. In Singapore, McLaren clinched the Constructors' title for the tenth time, a hugely significant achievement, as not since 1991, 34 years ago, has the Woking team won back-to-back titles. In actual fact, back then, it was a case of four in a row, along with the same number of Drivers' titles, three courtesy of Ayrton Senna and one with Alain Prost. But that should take nothing away from this year's feat, secured when there are still six more rounds of the season remaining. Added to that is the fact that the points total of 650 racked up by Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris is exactly double the number that second placed Mercedes has scored, thanks to the efforts of George Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli, proof of just how dominant McLaren has been so far in 2025.
The rise of the Woking team over the past four years has been nothing short of meteoric. Fifth place in 2022 with just one podium finish; fourth in 2023 with nine top three finishes, but still no wins, followed by the Constructors' title in 2024 with six wins and 21 podium finishes. And this season has seen an explosion: from the 18 races to date, McLaren has put together twelve wins, nine pole positions, 28 podiums, and now, a second consecutive world title. No one, not even the most diehard fan nor the bravest gambler, could have imagined such a turnaround at the end of 2022, when Andrea Stella, newly appointed as Team Principal by Zak Brown, said that McLaren needed to “find a second, a second and a half” compared to the others. Nearly three years later, it's everyone else who must figure out how to catch a team that has been the strongest and most complete in every respect this year.
Of course, with the Constructor's crown now secured, there's still the Drivers' Championship to win, a battle that, until the summer break, seemed to be a foregone conclusion, an in-house fight between Piastri and Norris. While they must still rank as favourites, since Zandvoort it's clear that Max Verstappen is back in the picture, staging an 86 point surge over four races that has significantly cut the gap to the top. The Dutchman has made up 34 points on the Australian and 47 on the Englishman. Piastri's 63 point lead is definitely substantial, but with 174 points still up for grabs, because three of the remaining six Grands Prix include Sprint races, there's no room for complacency. And if there's one driver capable of overturning impossible situations, it's the reigning champion himself.
It would therefore be wise not to risk jeopardising such an important goal as the Drivers' title through internal duels. So far, the natural rivalry between Piastri and Norris has been handled with care and transparency, but it would be dangerous to heed those siren calls suggesting the two drivers should be given free rein to race each other, just because the team goal, the Constructors' title, is in the bag. At this stage, McLaren must aim not only to secure both titles but also to ensure it finishes first and second in the Drivers' standings.
Furthermore, if anyone understands the situation clearly, it is Stella himself, educated at the Jean Todt-run Ferrari school, where there was never room for theatrical flourishes, not even when the world title had already been wrapped up by mid-summer.
