Why McLaren keeps refusing to rule Max Verstappen out…

“You all laughed at me, well I have to say, you’re not laughing now” is a famous quote from a certain British politician that has been turned into a meme across the internet.

Whatever the context, it could be relevant, and that particularly applies to the 2025 Formula 1 season.

All year long the McLaren duo have been the focus of the drivers’ title fight. Oscar Piastri this, Lando Norris that. Which of the two will lead the inevitable McLaren 1-2 at the next race, given the supremely dominant MCL39 built by the reigning champions?

But no amount of dominance has ever detracted McLaren from ruling out the threat of Max Verstappen, who has constantly hung on in there. Something which, perhaps only now, is starting to be realised by others. If anything has been learnt from the previous race, Baku, it is that everything can change so quickly in F1.

“We can’t afford to have weekends like Baku,” said championship leader Piastri ahead of this weekend’s Singapore Grand Prix, after he crashed out on lap one in Azerbaijan. That obviously presented an opportunity for others to pounce, but Norris failed to do so by only finishing seventh, yet Verstappen did, as he took a second win on the bounce following Monza.

It means the Red Bull driver now trails Piastri by 69 points with seven weekends remaining, which might seem large but given that gap stood at 104 just two rounds ago, it’s certainly feasible for Verstappen to pull off the unlikely.

Oscar Piastri, McLaren (Photo by: Rudy Carezzevoli / Getty Images)

And why is it feasible? It’s because “he’s Max Verstappen - world champion for the last four years” as McLaren boss Andrea Stella so diligently put it last time out. It cannot be understated how much that experience is playing on the minds of not just the McLaren drivers, who are each fighting for their maiden title, but the rest of the paddock.

“We all know Max and how dangerous he is when there’s something to grab,” said Haas racer Esteban Ocon. “So there’s a good chance that if he’s got a competitive car until the end of the year, he can catch [up].”

Ocon was one of several drivers to rate Verstappen’s title chances as more than zero, with Mercedes man George Russell even claiming there’s a “100%” possibility. There’s an overriding feeling that if any opportunity presents itself, Verstappen is the one who will pounce and that has been witnessed on many occasions.

Just looking at this year, his wins in Baku, Monza and Imola are all examples, but so is 2023 when a dominant car led to Verstappen clinching a record-breaking 19 grand prix victories for his third title. Which other driver on the current grid would have done the same had they had those circumstances? Perhaps Lewis Hamilton when he was in his pomp, but that’s it.

“I’ve said it many times, I think he’s born to be and will forever be one of the best ever, and if not the best in Formula 1,” said Norris. “So I think for anyone to have a chance of going against him and beating him is pretty slim at times.”

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing (Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Sutton Images via Getty Images)

It’s kind of a defeatist attitude from Norris, and almost as though Verstappen has the mental edge even before the battle has begun. But it’s maybe understandable, and recent races have shown the Dutchman’s threat to be as large as ever this year.

Give him the car and he will deliver. Thanks to a pre-Monza floor upgrade, Verstappen now has a machine capable of challenging the McLarens - and it starts with this weekend.

“Based on the last couple of races, I think Red Bull and Max will be strong again,” said Piastri, with Norris adding “we expect battles, especially with him here”.

Another Baku outcome would leave Verstappen right in the mix, and McLaren is aware of that, so it needs to keep stressing the threat of the world champion especially when he still has everything to gain.

“Nothing to lose,” said Verstappen. “If we win it, great, if we don’t, we don’t, life goes on. I’m just not too stressed about anything.”

Additional reporting by Ronald Vording and Filip Cleeren