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Do McLaren Accept Reality of F1 - That to Win, It's Not Always Possible to Play Fair?

McLaren are well aware of the challenge they confront with Verstappen and the Red Bull team in the championship battle this year, but they don't believe to modify their approach to managing the team.

They will continue to provide their two drivers the optimal opportunity they can and operate the team on a basis of equity and equanimity.

"This is the approach we intend competing. This remains the method in which we tackle racing, and we aim to stay equitable, and we intend to maintain equality to our drivers."

Team boss Stella is a veteran of numerous championship fights. He won the title as engineer to Kimi Raikkonen in 2007 when the Ferrari driver made up 17 points under the previous points system in two Grands Prix to win the championship, while the McLaren team collapsed.

And he lost the championship as engineer to Fernando Alonso in the 2010 season, when Ferrari made errors in their race strategy at the final race of the season and enabled Vettel and the Red Bull team to sneak the championship from their grasp.

Stella commented after the race in Texas: "We look at the remaining five Grands Prix as opportunities to extend the gap on Max. And when it comes to having to make a call as to a driver, this will only be led by mathematics."

"We rely on the experience. I can remember at least the 2007 season, the 2010 season, in which you reach the final Grand Prix and it's actually the [driver in] third [place] that claims the championship. So we're not going to close the door unless this is determined by mathematics."

Why Did McLaren Stop Upgrades on The Current Car?

Every team this year have had to face the dilemma of for how long to concentrate on their 2025 season car while also ensuring they are as ready as they can be for the significant regulation change scheduled for the 2026 season.

In F1, it's typically the situation that if a constructor makes mistakes at the beginning of a new rules cycle, it can take a long time to recover. And if they get it right, that advantage can continue for some time - look at the Red Bull team in 2022 and 2023, the most recent occasion the regulations were modified.

McLaren began this season with the best car, after putting a lot of technical development into their 2025 design.

They did continue to develop it for a while, but were experiencing reduced benefits. So when looking at the value for money they were achieving on their 2025 season car compared to 2026, it became an easy decision to redirect attention to next year.

Red Bull have caught up since introducing their updated underfloor and front wing at the Monza Grand Prix, but the McLaren car stays competitive - team boss Andrea Stella stated he thought Norris had the speed to compete for the victory in Texas had he not finished behind Charles Leclerc.

"We just have to keep maximising the performance and continue delivering strong weekends. And from this point of view, if you think of a Grand Prix like Baku, we didn't maximise the performance and we didn't execute a perfect race."

"So definitely we have a significant opportunity, and the result of this championship and the drivers' championship is in our control. It's not in someone else's hands."

Driver Transfers: How Challenging Is It to Change Constructors?

First of all, it's uncertain the question has an completely accurate premise. It's true that each of Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz had somewhat sticky opening phases of the season, in varying manners, and that they are now faring significantly improved.

Carlos Sainz and Alex Albon do now appear very even. However, it's less certain that, in Hamilton's case, he is yet the "equal" of Leclerc - or not consistently, anyway.

Hamilton has failed to outperform Leclerc frequently at all this year, either in qualifying or Grand Prix.

He is currently significantly nearer than he was. He is regularly setting times within a small fraction of a second of Leclerc, but in qualifying it's four-two to Leclerc since the summer break.

This previous weekend in Texas, on one of Hamilton's favourite circuits, he was a second slower than Leclerc when the Monegasque completed his tire change, and lost 13 seconds over the remaining portion of the race.

In hindsight, Leclerc was on the best race strategy. Nevertheless, over the championship, and even now, it's hard to argue that on balance Leclerc has not been the superior Ferrari driver this year.

Each of Hamilton and Sainz have discussed how challenging it is to switch teams, and we have to take them at their word.

Lewis Hamilton would not say even now that he was completely adjusted to the Ferrari car - and he is expecting the regulation changes next year will benefit his driving style; he has never particularly liked these venturi cars.

There is a great deal for a driver to understand and adapt to when they change constructors, as Lewis Hamilton has explained many times this year. But not all struggle in this way.

Alonso, for example, was on it from the start of the 2023 season when he moved to Aston Martin. And would Verstappen face challenges if he switched teams? I suspect most in F1 would expect not.

When Will We Know The Coming Season's Team Performance?

Before the F1 cars are driven for the initial time in pre-season testing next season, nobody will understand how the constructors are looking next year.

The initial session, in Barcelona on January 26-30, is private because the constructors wanted to understand their first running of the power unit changes without the prying eyes of the media.

So the two tests in Sakhir on 11-13 and 18-20 February will be the first time a certain indication of comparative speed emerges.

But, as ever, it's not until the season opener that the complete and precise situation will become clear.