The Woking team experienced a solid season in 2024going from an initial phase where she was scoring points to a regular fight for podiums and victories, as the year progressed. This run of performances saw them overtake Red Bull at the top of the constructors' standings after round 18 in Singapore, before holding off a Ferrari offensive to take the title for the first time since 1998.
Motors Inside without advertising :
Subscribe
Meanwhile, Lando Norris emerged as Max Verstappen's closest rival for the Drivers' Championship, although he failed to close the gap to the Dutchman. However, the Briton was confident about what could be possible in 2025. If McLaren starts the season with the same level of performance it displayed at the end of the 2024 season, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri could both claim the title.
A battle between Norris and Piastri?
Although this was not a situation the team faced last year, some incidents linked to team instructions have not always been handled perfectly, such as the call for Lando Norris to let Oscar Piastri pass at the end of the Hungarian Grand Prix.
Asked about a possible change of approach if the drivers were to compete for the championship in 2025, Andrea Stella replied: “First of all, I hope you're right [qu’ils se battent pour le titre]. We really want to have this kind of problem. We worked very hard to have a problem of having a car that could win races and two drivers that could win races. And we know that this type of situation in Formula 1 always comes with certain complications. »
“But these are complications that we have already faced to some extent this season. I think we've always approached this cohesively. Both drivers have always been fully aware that we must find solutions that put the interests of the team first, then those of the drivers. »
“So far, I think this process has been very positive. This is a process we plan to continue next season. But before we think about this problem, we need to think… We call it a problem, but it's potentially more of an opportunity”details the boss of McLaren.
Andrea Stella also stressed that the team's priority will be to provide both drivers a car capable of fighting for the title from the start of the season, a goal they did not achieve in 2024. “Our goal is to make sure, from a technical standpoint, that we give Lando and Oscar a car that can compete for the championship.”continued the Team Principal.
“If we had achieved this at the start of this season, without some poor performances in the first races, we would have been able to fight for the drivers' championship for longer”he concludes.
