McLaren gives Verstappen’s title chances a huge boost with unchanged policy

McLaren will continue to let its drivers race until one is no longer mathematically in the title race, and it’s given Max Verstappen a huge boost as he fights for number five.

What one thinks of McLaren’s papaya regulations and the team’s stance in the Drivers’ standings, at the end of the day, it’s about trying to achieve fairness. Admirable. But is it worth losing what once looked to be a near-certain World title?

Lando Norris’ title fight: All you need to know

⦁ Norris reiterates ‘nothing changes’ with McLaren policy
⦁ Second-placed driver ‘certainly believes’ he can win the title
⦁ The last laugh could belong to Max Verstappen

With five rounds remaining this season, McLaren’s chances of securing the double have been dealt a Max Verstappen-sized blow as the Red Bull driver has gone on a charge.

Winning three of the last four grands prix, and P1 in the Sprint in Austin, Verstappen has scored 101 of the 108 points that were available.

Second-placed Lando Norris brought in 57 in that same period, while championship leader Oscar Piastri has fared the worst with just 37 points.

It’s opened the door for Verstappen to fight for a fifth successive World title as his deficit to Piastri has been slashed to 40 points. He’s only 26 behind Norris.

It’s led to cries from pundits and McLaren fans for the Woking team to back one driver. Even rival drivers have an opinion.

“What’s interesting to me is to see how McLaren have to play it,” Alex Albon told media, including PlanetF1.com, in Mexico. “Because they’re still playing both drivers into the championship, but at the same time, you could easily cover him off if you prioritise one driver.”

But, he added, what McLaren is “doing is fair and they shouldn’t do that [prioritise one driver].”

And they won’t, Norris reiterating the team’s philosophy when quizzed on the subject.

“Nothing changes,” he said as per the official F1 website. “We want to win, we both want to win. We know there are people around us. But I think we know how to work together, but also race against each other.

“But I think we have the correct approach, so we’ll continue doing what we’re do.”

🎙️: considering the tight standing, to contain max, do you expect more team orders if necessary?

lando: nope.

🎙️: have you discussed it with the team?

lando: yep. nothing changes. we both want to win, we know there’s people around us. but i think we know how to work… pic.twitter.com/hCEinD06hk

— ray (@ln4norris) October 23, 2025

Despite Piastri’s lead in the points standings and Verstappen’s momentum, Norris “certainly believes” he can beat both rivals to the World title.

Speaking to PlanetF1.com and other media outlets ahead of the Mexico City Grand Prix, he was adamant he had a “100 percent” chance this season than he did last year when he momentarily challenged Verstappen for the crown.

“Certainly as a driver,” he continued, “I have more confidence than what I did last season.

“But that doesn’t mean I have a much better chance.

“I’m up against a driver who’s improved massively from his second season into his third, and I’m against a four-time world champion. So you know, it’s differences.

“But at the same time, I am against the best drivers in the world so I didn’t expect anything.”

Quizzed on the fluctuating fortunes, with Norris taking points out of Piastri but Verstappen clawing back points from both McLaren teammates, the Briton was asked for his thoughts on how he feels today compared to five races ago.

Back in Zandvoort, Piastri claimed the race win ahead of Verstappen while Norris retired with an engine failure. He dropped 34 points behind his teammate. Today he trails the Australian driver by 14 points.

“I mean it’s not like I’ve won every race since,” was Norris’ pragmatic reply. “So it’s not like it’s been an easy return from what it was, 30 something points, to what it is now.

“Quite a few points to turn around, especially against an incredible driver in the same car. So I feel like I’ve been doing a good job from that case.

“But of course, there’s another guy who’s been winning the races and has been catching even more so from that side, nothing we could do about him.

“Like he’s been quick, they’ve been very fast. He’s been doing a good job like they have been all season. He’s had many pole positions through the whole year so it’s not like they were ever that bad.

“He’s had pole positions at almost every single point of the year. So, yeah, no, it’s no surprise that when it just clicks a little bit more, they get the car in a better place, and Max does what he does, that they’re catching up.

“But the same time, it doesn’t change anything that I do. I try to win the race every weekend. That’s my approach has been for a while, and that’s the approach I’ll continue with.”

Oscar Piastri v Lando Norris: McLaren F1 2025 head-to-head stats

👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head qualifying statistics between team-mates

👉 F1 2025: Head-to-head race statistics between team-mates

Max Verstappen could have the last laugh

McLaren’s stance on fairness and equal treatment is admirable, especially as both drivers are very evenly matched. Seven wins, five poles for Piastri. Five wins, four poles for Norris. And only 14 points separating them in the standings.

One could well understand that if McLaren was to choose one to back in the title race that the other would be infuriated.

Piastri is leading the standings. It should be him.

Norris has better momentum. It should be him. You could easily argue both ways.

Until such a time as one is out of the race, McLaren cannot ask the other to support his teammate’s title quest. There’s Ferrari Austria 2002 and then there’s just plain brutal.

It had McLaren CEO Zak Brown declaring to PlanetF1.com Editor Mat Coch that he was “comfortable” losing the Drivers’ title in the name of fairness.

“I’m comfortable with that because the other scenario is, how do you take a driver out of the championship that’s competing for the championship? That’s not right at all,” he said.

“When you’ve got two drivers first and second in the championship, how do you possibly even consider standing one down into a supporting role?

“There’s just no way we will.”

Max Verstappen could have the last laugh.

Even if the Dutch driver wins every one of the last five grands prix and the two Sprints, 141 points, if Piastri finishes runner-up in all those events, 104 points, the McLaren driver would win the title by 450 points to 447 points.

However, if Norris is between them, even in one grand prix, it would hand the title to Verstappen.

It’s the proverbial rock and a hard place situation. But it can’t be called unenviable. Most team principals can only dream of a moment like this.

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