Red Bull's Mekies: McLaren Feeling Pressure Against Verstappen in Title Fight

Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies believes McLaren drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are inevitably feeling the "psychological effect" of battling Max Verstappen for the 2025 Formula 1 title. As the championship heads to the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix finale, Norris holds a 12-point lead over Verstappen, with Piastri 16 points behind.

Why it matters:

McLaren's bid for a maiden F1 title with Norris and Piastri faces the ultimate test against a relentless Max Verstappen, who has been in dominant form. This championship battle highlights the immense pressure on emerging contenders to perform flawlessly against a four-time world champion renowned for his consistency and ability to capitalize on rivals' mistakes. A victory for McLaren would signal a significant shift in the competitive landscape, while another title for Verstappen would further cement his legendary status.

The details:

• Norris is currently the favorite for the championship, but Verstappen's recent form, winning five of the last eight Grands Prix since Red Bull's car upgrades at Monza, has dramatically closed the points gap.
• Verstappen has overcome a 104-point deficit, partly due to McLaren's errors, including Piastri's crash in Baku, a double disqualification in Vegas, and a strategic misstep in Qatar.
• Verstappen claimed he would have already won the title if he were in McLaren's car, attributing his current position to their failings. Norris dismissed these comments as "nonsense."
• Mekies, a former Racing Bulls and Ferrari team member, supports Verstappen's view, stating that his consistency puts immense pressure on competitors. "He never gets it wrong, he never misses a start, he never misses a Turn 1. He's going to extract more out of the tyres than most people out there," Mekies commented.
• Mekies also credited Red Bull's strong execution and courageous strategic decisions, which he believes have played a significant role in their recent success and contributed to the psychological pressure on their rivals.
• Verstappen's experience in high-pressure championship fights gives him an edge over the McLaren duo, who are both contending for their first F1 title.

What's next:

Mekies emphasized that Red Bull's approach for the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix remains unchanged: focus on optimizing their car and aiming for a win with Verstappen. He believes that if Verstappen can compete for the top spot, what happens with McLaren behind them is out of their control. The strategy is simple: put the car in its "sweet spot," provide Verstappen with a balance he excels with, and let him fight for victory. The championship will be decided by who handles the pressure best and executes flawlessly in the final race of the season.