McLaren team principal Andrea Stella believes: Without the best car, it will be difficult for even someone like Max Verstappen to become world champion
With his commanding victory at the 2025 Japanese Grand Prix, Max Verstappen once again proved his exceptional position in Formula 1. But despite this impressive performance, there are doubts as to whether even he is able to be crowned world champion again without the best car.
These doubts have also been expressed by McLaren team principal Andrea Stella. He analyzes the situation soberly and with foresight. “I think Max is somehow making the difference himself at the moment,” he says of Verstappen’s exceptional driving skills.
But he adds: “It’s very difficult to deliver consistently over 24 races for an entire season if you don’t have the best car.” In doing so, he raises the question that many in the paddock are beginning to think: Even a four-time world champion like Verstappen reaches his limits when Red Bull’s car can’t keep up.
At the same time, Stella describes the current season as a “transitional phase”. It is not yet clear how the balance of power will ultimately settle. Red Bull dominated in Japan thanks to the exceptional Verstappen, while Mercedes also made an impression in China with Russell’s strong race pace.
Ferrari is not consistently competitive at the moment, but drivers like Charles Leclerc and Lewis Hamilton should not be written off. Nevertheless, Stella emphasizes: “The most important prerequisite for winning both championships is the best car.”
For Verstappen, this means that even if his individual class is currently still enough for victories, he cannot rely on his talent alone. The field has become too close, and the importance of car performance is too great.
The tire issue also plays a role. In races with little tire wear, like in Suzuka, hardly any team can fully play to its strengths, says Stella. Everyone performs at a similar level, with Verstappen making the difference.
That’s why the McLaren team principal says with the upcoming race weekend in mind: “Hopefully Bahrain will be highly degrading. And hopefully we will be able to use the full potential of the car, which I still think is the best car, on some other tracks as well.”
