McLaren are dominating F1 like Max Verstappen did but this is way more fun

Daily Mirror

a day ago

Formula 1 is cyclical. The history of the sport, particularly in recent decades, shows that teams tend to dominate for a certain period, before someone knocks them off their perch, often with the help of a change to the regulations.
Take the last 15 years, for example. In 2010, Red Bull reached the promised land for the first time with Sebastian Vettel. The German won four titles in a row from there, until the grid was given a big shunt by the engine changes that came into force after Vettel's final triumph in 2013.
'The Hybrid Era' began and Mercedes were the ones who built the quickest engine, by far. They turned that advantage into complete domination, winning eight constructors' titles in a row while Lewis Hamilton went from being known as just the 2008 world champion to a seven-time title-winner and, in the eyes of many, the greatest the sport has ever seen.
And then came along Max Verstappen. The controversial 2021 title race remains a sore, divisive topic but, whichever side of that debate you fall on, the history books reflect the Dutchman's maiden triumph and, unsurprisingly, he went on to add three more drivers' titles with Red Bull untouchable for a spell.
Until last year, which was another one of those transitional seasons. Verstappen made a strong start when Red Bull were still on top and his outstanding performances were enough to retain his crown. But, make no mistake, it was McLaren's year as they summited the teams' standings for the first time this century.
And they have followed through on that this year by taking a tight grip of the championship. After 11 rounds of 24, heading into the British Grand Prix, they are already 207 points clear and only remarkable drop-off will see them lose it from here.
And history is up for grabs. Red Bull won the 2023 title by a whopping 451 points over their nearest challenger, by far the biggest winning margin in F1 history. With 13 rounds still to go, including four Sprint races, it's not inconceivable that McLaren might end the year with an even larger buffer below them.
And that's a shame – unless you're a McLaren fan, of course. This season was billed as a potential four-way fight for glory which would have made for epic viewing, but it hasn't turned out that way. Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari simply haven't been in the same league, for the most part.
On paper, it looks as dull as that 2023 season when Red Bull and Verstappen conquered all. But it doesn't feel that way, thanks to one key difference – McLaren are not a one-man team. I don't mean to disparage Sergio Perez, who finished second in the drivers' standings which was exactly what the team needed from him, but Verstappen was, and remains, the undisputed number one at Red Bull. It was always a one-horse race.
At McLaren this year, things are different. In Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, they have two young, supremely talented drivers who look very evenly matched, and that is reflected by the current state of the championship. McLaren are miles ahead of all their rivals, but leader Piastri is just 15 points clear of team-mate Norris heading into the British Grand Prix.
Every time one of them threatens to build a more significant advantage, they are pegged back by the other. Norris did it superbly in Spielberg on Sunday to ensure that Piastri would not move more than a full race win ahead. The Brit will have the backing of the crowd at Silverstone this weekend, but his Aussie rival will be out for revenge after he was beaten in hometown Melbourne in March.
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The big-picture battle is great fun, but what makes it truly thrilling is that, on a race-by-race basis, McLaren are letting them fight. they won't say it publicly, but they know their constructors' title defence is set to be successful. As long as things don't get too out of hand, they can let their drivers push each other hard.
And for those of us who just want to see a close-fought title race, it's a brilliant situation. Not perfect, because it would have been nice to see multiple drivers from different teams in the fight. But watching two outstanding young stars who could dominate the grid for the next decade throw everything at each other is a pretty good consolation prize.