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Do McLaren Face the Truth of F1 - That if You Want Win, It's Not Always Possible to Play Fair?

McLaren are well aware of the challenge they face with Verstappen and the Red Bull team in the drivers' championship this year, but they don't believe to modify their method to running the team.

They will persist to give their two drivers the best chance they can and operate the team on a basis of equity and equanimity.

"This represents the manner we intend racing. This is the philosophy in which we tackle competition, and we want to remain equitable, and we want to apply equal treatment to both drivers."

Team boss Stella is a veteran of numerous title battles. He won the title as engineer to Raikkonen in 2007 when the Ferrari driver recovered seventeen points under the old scoring system in two races to win the championship, while McLaren collapsed.

And he lost the championship as engineer to Alonso in the 2010 season, when Ferrari messed up their race strategy at the final race of the season and enabled Vettel and the Red Bull team to snatch the title from under their noses.

Andrea Stella stated after the race in Texas: "We view the remaining five Grands Prix as chances to extend the gap on Verstappen. And when it comes to having to make a call as to a team driver, this will only be determined by mathematics."

"We rely on the past experience. I can recall at least the 2007 season, 2010, in which you reach the last race and it's in fact the third-placed driver that claims the title. So we're not going to make decisions unless this is closed by the calculations."

Why Did McLaren Cease Development on The Current Car?

Every team this season have had to face the dilemma of for how long to concentrate on their 2025 car while also ensuring they are as prepared as they can be for the significant rules overhaul coming for 2026.

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

McLaren began this year with the best car, after putting a lot of innovation into their 2025 design.

They continued to improve it for a period, but were experiencing diminishing returns. So when evaluating the bang for buck they were getting on their 2025 season car compared to the 2026 car, it became an easy choice to redirect attention to the following season.

The Red Bull team have caught up since introducing their new floor and front wing at the Italian Grand Prix, but the McLaren car stays competitive - team boss Andrea Stella said he believed Lando Norris had the pace to compete for the win in Austin had he not ended up behind Leclerc.

"We must continue maximising the performance and continue executing strong weekends. And from this perspective, if you consider a Grand Prix like Baku City Circuit, we didn't maximise the performance and we didn't execute a perfect race."

"So definitely we have a large chance, and the outcome of this season and the drivers' championship is in our control. It's not in another team's control."

Team Changes: How Difficult Is It to Change Constructors?

First of all, I'm not sure the inquiry has an entirely correct premise. It's correct that each of Lewis Hamilton and Sainz had somewhat difficult opening phases of the season, in varying manners, and that they are currently faring significantly improved.

Sainz and Alex Albon currently look very even. However, it's not so clear that, in Lewis Hamilton's case, he is yet the "equal" of Leclerc - or not regularly, anyway.

Hamilton has not beaten Leclerc frequently at all this season, either in qualifying or race.

He is currently significantly nearer than he was. He is consistently setting times within a small fraction of a second of Leclerc, but in qualifying battles it's 4-2 to Leclerc since the mid-season break.

This previous weekend in Texas, on one of Hamilton's favourite tracks, he was a full second behind Leclerc when the Monaco driver made his pit stop, and dropped 13 seconds over the remaining portion of the Grand Prix.

Looking back, Leclerc was on the optimal race strategy. Regardless, over the championship, and even now, it's difficult to argue that on balance Charles Leclerc has hasn't been the better Ferrari racer this season.

Each of Hamilton and Sainz have discussed how difficult it is to switch teams, and we have to accept their statements.

Lewis Hamilton would not claim even currently that he was completely adjusted to Ferrari - and he is expecting the new rules next season will suit him; he has never particularly liked these ground-effect vehicles.

There is a great deal for a racing driver to get their head around when they change constructors, as Hamilton has described repeatedly this year. But not all faces difficulties in this manner.

Alonso, for instance, was on it from the start of the 2023 when he moved to Aston Martin. And would Max Verstappen struggle if he changed constructors? I believe the majority in Formula 1 would anticipate he wouldn't.

When Will We Know The Coming Season's Competitive Order?

Before the cars are driven for the initial time in pre-season testing next season, no-one will understand how the teams are looking in the upcoming season.

The first test, in Catalunya on 26-30 January, is private because the constructors preferred to understand their first running of the power unit changes without the prying eyes of the press.

So the two tests in Sakhir on February 11-13 and 18-20 February will be the initial occasion a certain sense of comparative speed becomes apparent.

But, as always, it's only at the season opener that the complete and precise picture will emerge.