With four races completed in F1, McLaren positions itself to win it all, putting Red Bull and Max Verstappen—who had dominated in recent years—on the ropes
With the first rounds of the 2025 Formula 1 (F1) season underway, a team has emerged that just two years ago was not even considered a contender for the Constructors’ Championship, let alone the Drivers’ Championship. Now, the power of McLaren is undeniable; with the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix just around the corner, the papaya team dominates the highest tier of motorsport.
The decline of the energy drink giant’s hegemony
After securing the Constructors’ Championships in 2022 and 2023, along with Max Verstappen’s four consecutive titles since 2021, it seemed the third decade of the 2000s would belong completely to the energy drink team, echoing Mercedes and Lewis Hamilton’s domination in the 2010s.
However, internal issues within the Austrian team, frequent mistakes from the pit crew, and Red Bull’s inability to establish a solid two-driver lineup—struggling to find a teammate for Max who could drive a car designed for Verstappen, win like Verstappen, but not be Verstappen—have led to Red Bull losing the Constructors’ Championship to McLaren last year. Now, they find themselves chasing the British squad.
McLaren’s resurgence after 26 years
Until the 2024 Constructors’ Championship, McLaren had gone 26 years without winning a title of this kind. And since 2008, when Sir Lewis Hamilton won the Drivers’ Championship with the team, the British outfit had not seen a championship-winning driver among its ranks.
However, McLaren now appears to have a clear goal: to crown one of its drivers in 2025. Thanks to significant upgrades to their car in 2024—which propelled their drivers into top positions and earned them the Constructors’ title—Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are now sitting first and second in the Drivers’ Standings, with the Briton leading at 77 points, the Australian close behind with 74, and the reigning four-time world champion, Max Verstappen, in third with 69 points.
OP 🤝 LN
Three double podium finishes this season for our papaya duo 🧡#McLaren | #BahrainGP 🇧🇭 pic.twitter.com/kC0eDsaayL
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) April 14, 2025
An intense battle lies ahead this season
Although there is still a long way to go in 2025, the battle between these two teams promises to be intense. Red Bull will need to step up, especially considering that in the Constructors’ Standings, McLaren holds a commanding lead with 151 points, while Red Bull is not even their closest rival—Mercedes sits second with 93 points, leaving Red Bull in third with 71 points.
Cover photo: X (@McLarenF1)
