We have good tracks coming

McLaren team boss Andrea Stella is upbeat about Oscar Piastri’s and Lando Norris’ chances of fending off Max Verstappen and Red Bull over the remaining Formula 1 races.

Piastri and Norris were beaten by Verstappen in the upgraded Red Bull in each of the last four races, including in Singapore where the Dutch driver finished second ahead of Norris and Piastri in third and fourth respectively, with championship leader Piastri particularly struggling to keep his title momentum on the rails after tough weekends in Baku and Austin.

With Red Bull now having gained the upper hand on a variety of circuits, Verstappen has boosted his chances of overhauling a 40-point deficit to Piastri and taking a fifth consecutive world title.

But team boss Stella doesn’t want McLaren to take defensive stance and wants the papaya squad to attack the next few races on the front foot, upbeat that McLaren can be on par with Red Bull.

McLaren is still the big favourite for the penultimate race in Qatar, although it would not be hard to imagine Verstappen being ahead at the other remaining venues; Mexico, Brazil, Las Vegas and Abu Dhabi.

“The fact that there are five races and two sprints means that we can also increase the gap to Max. That’s how I see things,” Stella said. “I think we have good tracks coming for our car.”

Part of Stella’s confidence stems from the fact that McLaren hasn’t made the most of its car’s potential, particularly in Austin where both Norris and Piastri were eliminated at the start of the sprint race. That meant McLaren was in the dark on crucial information like plank wear, being forced to choose a higher, more conservative ride heights in the grand prix.

Neither drivers delivered a great weekend in Baku, with Piastri even crashing out both in qualifying and the race, while the Australian also struggled for pace in Austin.

“We have more that we could have exploited out of our car,” Stella conceded. “And to some extent, the drivers recognise themselves that they could have done a better job in some of the previous races.

“So, I think we look at the next five races as opportunities to increase the gap on Max.”

He added: “We have a large opportunity and the outcome of this season and the drivers’ championship is in our hands. It’s not in someone else’s hands.

“That’s the mindset that we want to have and that’s the mindset that we will have.”

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– The Autosport.com Team