After dominating much of the 2025 Formula One championship, McLaren appears to be heading into the final five races on the back foot. Championship leader Oscar Piastri has seen his once-formidable points advantage shrink to just 14 points, suggesting he may have hit a performance plateau at a time when he needs to raise his game.

Teammate Lando Norris has maintained consistency since the mid-season break, gradually chipping away at Piastri’s lead. Behind Norris in third is Max Verstappen, who has won the last three races, with Red Bull seemingly turning the corner in extracting more performance from the car.

However, it must be said that Verstappen is making the difference, and the championship title will likely be decided by who makes the fewest mistakes and who can handle the pressure. Piastri is still relatively new to the sport, and a series of errors in the last two races have intensified the pressure on the outwardly cool and calm persona he usually exhibits.

The Red Bull Resurgence or Anomaly?

Max Verstappen secured his third win in four weekends at the United States Grand Prix, marking five consecutive top-two finishes since the summer break and reigniting his championship hopes. Red Bull’s resurgence is attributed to updates on the RB21, particularly a new front wing and underfloor.

The front wing, more aero-elastic than before, improves low-speed corner responsiveness without causing high-speed instability by shifting the aerodynamic center of pressure rearwards as speed increases. These changes, introduced progressively from Zandvoort to Singapore, included further front wing tweaks and a reshaped engine cover to optimize airflow and rear downforce.

These developments were planned before the summer under the guidance of Red Bull’s technical team, even at the cost of resources for the 2026 car. In contrast, McLaren has halted development on the MCL39 for the rest of the season, leaving the effectiveness of each team’s strategy to be seen.