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Do McLaren Accept Reality of F1 - That to Win, You Can't Always Be Fair?

McLaren are well aware of the challenge they confront with Verstappen and the Red Bull team in the drivers' championship this season, but they don't believe to change their strategy to running the team.

They will continue to give both drivers the best chance they can and operate the team on a basis of equity and balance.

"This is the manner we intend competing. This remains the way in which we approach racing, and we want to remain equitable, and we intend to maintain equality to both drivers."

Team principal Stella is a seasoned expert of numerous title battles. He claimed the title as race engineer to Kimi Raikkonen in 2007 when the Ferrari racer recovered seventeen points under the previous points system in two Grands Prix to win the championship, while McLaren imploded.

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

Andrea Stella stated following the Grand Prix in Austin: "We view the remaining five Grands Prix as chances to extend the lead on Verstappen. And when it comes to having to make a decision as to a driver, this will only be determined by mathematics."

"We rely on the experience. I can recall at least 2007, 2010, in which you go to the final Grand Prix 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 mathematics."

What Prompted McLaren to Cease Development on This Year's Car?

All teams this season have had to confront the dilemma of how long to focus on their 2025 season car while also ensuring they are as prepared as they can be for the significant regulation change coming for 2026.

In Formula 1, it's usually the case that if a team gets it wrong at the start of a new rules cycle, it can take a considerable period to recover. And if they get it right, that benefit can continue for some time - look at Red Bull in 2022 and 2023, the last time the regulations changed.

McLaren began this season with the fastest car, after putting a lot of technical development into their 2025 design.

They did continue to develop it for a period, but were experiencing reduced benefits. So when looking at the bang for buck they were getting on their 2025 car compared to the 2026 car, it became an easy decision to redirect attention to next year.

Red Bull have closed the gap since introducing their updated floor and nose section at the Monza Grand Prix, but the McLaren car stays competitive - team boss Andrea Stella stated he thought Lando Norris had the speed to challenge for the victory in Austin had he not ended up behind Leclerc.

"We must continue maximising the performance and continue delivering good race weekends. And from this perspective, if you think of a race like Baku City Circuit, we failed to optimize the car's potential and we didn't deliver a perfect race."

"So definitely we have a significant opportunity, and the outcome of this championship and the driver's title is in our control. It's not in another team's control."

Driver Transfers: How Difficult Is It to Change Constructors?

First of all, I'm not sure the inquiry has an entirely accurate premise. It's true that each of Hamilton and Carlos Sainz had slightly sticky opening phases of the season, in varying manners, and that they are now faring much better.

Sainz and Alex Albon do now appear very even. However, it's less certain that, in Hamilton's case, he is yet the "equal" of Charles Leclerc - or not regularly, at least.

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

He is now significantly nearer than he previously. He is consistently setting times within a few hundredths of a second of Leclerc, but in qualifying it's 4-2 to Charles Leclerc since the summer break.

This previous weekend in Texas, on one of Lewis Hamilton's preferred tracks, he was a second slower than Leclerc when the Monegasque made his tire change, and dropped thirteen seconds over the rest of the race.

Looking back, Charles Leclerc was on the best strategy. Regardless, over the championship, and even currently, it's hard to claim that on balance Leclerc has hasn't been the better Ferrari racer this season.

Each of Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz have talked about how difficult it is to change constructors, and we have to take them at their word.

Lewis Hamilton would not say even currently that he was completely adjusted to Ferrari - and he is expecting the regulation changes next season will suit him; he has never really enjoyed these venturi cars.

There is a lot for a driver to understand and adapt to when they change constructors, as Lewis Hamilton has explained many times this season. But not all faces difficulties in this manner.

Fernando Alonso, for instance, was on it from the beginning of the 2023 when he transferred to the Aston Martin team. And would Verstappen face challenges if he changed constructors? I suspect most in F1 would expect not.

How Soon Can We Determine Next Year's Competitive Order?

Before the F1 cars are driven for the initial time in pre-season testing next year, nobody will know how the teams are performing next year.

The first test, in Catalunya on 26-30 January, is behind closed doors because the teams wanted to get their heads around their initial track time of the new engines without the scrutiny of the media.

So the two tests in Bahrain on 11-13 and February 18-20 will be the first time a certain sense of relative performance becomes apparent.

But, as ever, it's not until the first race that the complete and precise picture will become clear.