Can Norris and Piastri ward off Verstappen’s late title charge amid dropping pace?

Tension between title rivals Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri has taken the shine off McLaren securing their second consecutive Constructors’ title.

That said, in particular it’s their drivers’ sudden drop in pace and a late resurgent Max Verstappen that McLaren have to keep an eye on if they are to seal their first Drivers’ title since Lewis Hamilton won it with them back in 2008. 

It has been three races now since McLaren last took a pole position or won a race; Verstappen won in both Monza and Baku, while Mercedes’ George Russell aced in Singapore. 

While there were certain factors that indicated McLaren would struggle in low-downforce tracks like Monza and Baku, what caught many by surprise was their drop in pace at the Marina Bay Circuit — a track where they excelled last year. 

Following the race, however, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella did mention that he wasn’t surprised with the outcome. According to him, the manner in which their development path panned out this season restricted their ability to perform on tracks that are hard on the brakes, combined with bumps and kerbstones. 

And the proof certainly lies in the pudding we were served in Canada, Baku, and Singapore. The general philosophy of the MCL39 mainly allows it to gain time in corners, especially the long mid-to-high speed corners. With those few and far between in Singapore, it all came down to braking and traction. 

That’s just one side of the story, though. It has been observed for some time now that McLaren have stopped working on their 2025 car and shifted focus on next year’s regulation changes. Their rivals, on the other hand, especially Red Bull, have kept on further developing their car for this season and gaining a better understanding of the same. 

Red Bull’s floor upgrades at Monza and the new front wing at Singapore have certainly brought Verstappen back into the championship fight, though he remains still 63 points adrift of Piastri with just six Grands Prix remaining. 

If we are to go on what Stella had to say, McLaren may struggle again in Austin this weekend given the tight nature of the corners there. At the start of the season, their edge over the field gave them an advantage on many tracks, but with the field now so narrowly bunched up, silly strategic or on-track mistakes will not go unpunished anymore. 

However, the run-in to the season finale may again swing the pendulum in McLaren’s favour, with the circuits in Brazil, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi suiting the MCL39’s characteristics nicely. 

So, where does Max Verstappen stand in all this? Can the four-time reigning world champion put in one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the sport?

Well, if there’s one person who can actually make it happen, it’s him. But not everything is in his control. 

Mathematically, even if Verstappen wins every race — including the three sprint races — he would still lose the championship if Piastri finishes at least second in every race.

That said, the Dutchman has clawed back 41 points on Piastri over the last three races alone. The nature of his victories in Monza and Baku showcase the huge strides Red Bull have taken. The race in a high-downforce track like the Marina Bay Circuit was the litmus test to confirm whether Verstappen and Red Bull could compete with McLaren at the remaining races.

And the answer is — yes, they can. 

Based on their last two upgrades, Red Bull have done just about enough to match McLaren on tracks where they’ve been traditionally superior to the Austrian outfit.

Red Bull continuing to work on this season’s car means that the tracks in Brazil, Qatar and Abu Dhabi — where McLaren usually have the advantage — may no longer turn out to be the strongholds they once were. Moreover, the friction between the McLaren drivers will certainly help Verstappen in his quest, as Piastri and Norris continue to take points off each other.

Championship leader Piastri feels he’s not getting fair treatment in the intra-team rivalry. McLaren’s internal rules dictate that the drivers are free to race but must not make contact with each other.

The incident that could push things over the edge might just have arrived in Singapore, as Norris dove down the inside of Piastri after making a good start from P5. Norris was caught out by Verstappen slowing more than he expected in the middle of Turn 3. The Brit touched the RB21, damaging his front wing endplate, and then bounced side-on into Piastri, whose momentum was checked, allowing Norris to move ahead into third place.

What’s important to keep in mind with this incident is the series of situations where McLaren’s manner of operating their internal policy has gone against Piastri.

In Hungary back in August, Piastri was the lead McLaren driver, yet Norris was allowed to switch strategies in a move that eventually led to him winning the race. In Italy a month later, McLaren ordered Piastri to give P2 back to Norris after his slow pit stop, along with an unusual decision to first pit Piastri — the second of the two drivers — which led to Norris losing second place. Piastri objected to that decision, saying he thought they had agreed that slow pit stops were to be considered part of racing and not something that needed to be corrected, but he relinquished the position anyway. 

Going into the final leg of the season, just 22 points separate the two McLaren drivers, and the tension between them is reaching boiling point. Max Verstappen, who has been quietly lurking in the background, is ready to pounce, hungry for a fifth world title, which seemed unlikely at the halfway point of the season.

With nothing to lose, Verstappen and Red Bull can and will definitely throw everything at the last six races. That leaves the McLaren drivers at a certain disadvantage; with the team not bringing in any new upgrades, they can only react to what’s thrown at them apart from fending each other off.

Therefore, if Red Bull can bring in a couple of upgrades to further bridge the gap to McLaren in Brazil, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi, my money is on Max Verstappen to snatch this Drivers’ title right at the finish line.