Max Verstappen sent ominous McLaren warning at odds with Lewis Hamilton theory
Max Verstappen has enjoyed a characteristically dominant start to the 2024 season, but it may not stay that way.
Lewis Hamilton’s theory that Red Bull and Max Verstappen will remain ‘very clear’ of the rest of the field until the 2026 technical regulations come into effect could soon be disproven. That's according to McLaren chief Andrea Stella, who believes that his team are on course to catch the reigning champions within a 12-month period.
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After a dismal weekend at the Brazilian Grand Prix late last year, Hamilton was left dejected about the chances of stopping the Verstappen juggernaut. “Ultimately all I can do is try to remain optimistic,” he said. “The Red Bull, I think, is so far away I think they’re probably going to be very clear for the next couple of years.”
So far, this has proven to be true. The Dutchman started the 2024 campaign in imperious fashion, winning four of the opening five Grands Prix and claiming five successive pole positions to set him on course for a fourth straight Drivers’ Championship crown.
However, McLaren are hoping to end Verstappen’s iron grasp on the top step of the podium and with Lando Norris already boasting two podium finishes to his name in 2024 and both of their drivers finishing in the top eight at each of the opening five rounds of the campaign, the Woking-based outfit is making steady progress.
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Assessing his team’s progress, Stella explained: "I think overall, if we take the 12-month period, we have developed more than anybody else. I think Red Bull did not develop very much last year. Clearly, they were working quite a lot in the background because they innovated the car dramatically.
"And to innovate the car like they did - it takes months of redesign. They were doing all this work, and then when they came with a new car, it was a big step. So even if apparently we have lost some ground, we lost some ground because we gained so much ground before and while they were not developing.
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"That's why we need to look at things over the long period. Over the long period, we are on a strong trajectory. For me, this is also what we say internally: if we keep this trajectory of development for the next 12 months, then why not? We may reach Red Bull.”
If McLaren are to etch their name among the World Championship contenders for the 2025 season then Red Bull are not their only threat. While Mercedes are still struggling to understand the root cause of their flaws, Ferrari are making steady progress and with Hamilton joining the team next year, they will be serious challengers.
