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Max Verstappen might be the most feared hunter in the F1 circles. But, McLaren team principal Andrea Stella believes both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri enter F1’s final four races with equal chances in the title fight. Norris reclaimed the championship lead from teammate Piastri by a single point after a commanding victory in Mexico City, ending McLaren’s four-race winless streak and reaffirming their pace advantage. Verstappen, on the other hand, has also cut down the deficit to a mere 36 points, as he seemingly lies in wait to defend his title yet again. The closing rounds in Brazil, Las Vegas, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi — including sprint weekends in São Paulo and Doha — are expected to provide a balanced battleground, where both drivers will be racing on equal terms, Stella stated. “Both Lando and Oscar go into the final four races with reasons to be confident,” Stella said. “We’ve gained a deeper understanding of how to extract the car’s performance consistently. There’s no reason to think one track will favour either driver.” While Norris has outperformed Piastri in the last five races, Stella said McLaren’s focus remains on maintaining car competitiveness rather than intra-team rivalry. He added that lessons learned from last year’s struggles in Las Vegas could prove crucial this time around. “We’ve shown that we have a car capable of winning, and even dominating, races,” Stella said. “That’s what really matters in pursuing the championship. It’s not about mathematics, it’s about competitiveness.” With four races left, the title fight remains wide open. McLaren may clearly have the better engine, but they sure do not possess a ‘Mad Max’ within their ranks. And up next? The Sao Paolo Grand Prix: a race where Verstappen has enjoyed plenty of success at, having come through the field from 17th in the rain last year to win. (with agency inputs)
