The once-perfect orange empire is trembling. McLaren, the team that for months looked like the only true challenger capable of ending Red Bull’s long reign of dominance, has found itself in a desperate battle. But their fight isn’t just with the rb21 on the track; it’s with the rampant chaos erupting from within their own garage.

The 2025 United States Grand Prix was supposed to be a weekend that solidified their championship charge. Instead, it devolved into a nightmare of tension, mistrust, and bitter accusations. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri—the two drivers hailed as the inseparable, brilliant future of McLaren—collided, both literally and emotionally. The fallout was so severe, so damaging, that it left team boss Zak Brown with no choice but to open a full internal investigation into what, exactly, went so horribly wrong.

This is more than a bad weekend. This is a full-blown crisis, one that could define the remainder of this championship and, perhaps, McLaren’s long-term future. Because when a team starts choosing sides in the white-hot intensity of a title race, it rarely, if ever, ends well.

This investigation didn’t appear from a single incident. It is the result of weeks, perhaps even months, of silent tension building inside the papaya camp. What began as an awkward, aggressive moment in Singapore has now metastasized into an internal storm that threatens to derail the team’s ambitions completely.

The flashpoint that lit the fuse came when Lando Norris, in a move that was as aggressive as it was controversial, forced his teammate Oscar Piastri wide at Turn 1 in Singapore. On the surface, McLaren brushed it off as “hard racing”—a line fed to the press to quell the immediate fire. But internally, sources say, that was far from the end of it. Zak Brown promised repercussions, and those consequences have now arrived, not with a bang, but with the cold, quiet launch of a “major internal investigation”.

This investigation isn’t just about the Singapore incident. It’s a top-to-bottom review of the broader culture of how its two star drivers are allowed to race each other. According to several reports, the supposed punishment for Norris was subtle but significant: for the remainder of the season, Piastri would have priority in qualifying sessions. This means the young Australian gets to decide whether he goes out before or after Norris—a small detail that can have massive consequences in track evolution, tire temperature, and timing. In the high-stakes world of Formula 1, that is no minor privilege.

The irony, however, is that this disciplinary action seems to have had no effect. Or worse, it has had the opposite effect. At the United States Grand Prix, Norris promptly qualified ahead of Piastri once again, lining up alongside Max Verstappen on the front row. His pace was described as “electric.” It was a statement drive, proof that his confidence remains utterly unshaken. For a driver supposedly under internal review, Lando looked more liberated than ever.

Meanwhile, his teammate is experiencing the opposite. Oscar Piastri, who stunned the paddock with his early-season dominance—at one point leading both Norris and Verstappen by wide margins—appears to be entering a deeply worrying slump. The Australian has now gone four consecutive races without a podium, finishing a distant fifth in Austin, his lowest dry result all year.

While Piastri admitted that the Circuit of the Americas has “never been a happy hunting ground for him”, that doesn’t fully explain the chasm that has opened between the two teammates. Piastri finished the race 22 seconds behind Norris, who was busy fighting Verstappen’s Red Bull for the victory. The momentum, so clearly in Piastri’s favor for the first half of the season, has decisively swung.

This is where the crisis deepens. Team Principal Andrea Stella has confirmed that there will be no further upgrades for the 2025 season. “When it comes to new upgrades, new parts,” Stella stated, “this will not happen for the rest of the season”. The car they have now is the car they will end the championship with. This development shifts the entire focus. The title will be determined by three factors: driver performance, psychology, and teamwork.

And right now, teamwork is McLaren’s single biggest weakness. Social media has exploded with fan outrage, a digital civil war mirroring the one in the garage. Some accuse the team of favoring Norris, their long-term golden boy. Others insist Piastri, the rookie sensation, is being protected.

This is precisely what McLaren’s leadership fears most. The team is desperate to avoid a repeat of its darkest chapter: the infamous 2007 season, when the toxic rivalry between Fernando Alonso and a rookie named Lewis Hamilton tore the team apart from the inside. The scars from that year still run deep within the walls of Woking. Zak Brown and Andrea Stella are desperate not to repeat that history, yet the signs are all there. Piastri’s frustrated radio message in Singapore—”That wasn’t very team-like”—echoes the exact kind of resentment that once fractured McLaren’s golden era.

While Norris later accepted responsibility and Piastri publicly stated he was “happy with how the team handled it”, the unease is visible to the entire world. Both drivers know what is at stake. One mistake, one controversial strategic call, and the fragile balance will collapse entirely.

And lurking just behind them, a four-time world champion smells blood. Max Verstappen has once again put himself in striking distance of the championship lead. He is now just 40 points behind Piastri, and bookmakers have made him the joint favorite for the title. Over the last five races, Verstappen has collected 119 out of a possible 133 points—a terrifying, relentless level of consistency.

While McLaren fights itself, Verstappen simply races. No politics. No public feuds. No hesitation.

The pressure on Piastri is now immense, and it’s coming from his own team boss. Andrea Stella hinted that Norris actually had the pace to win in Austin if not for being stuck behind Charles Leclerc early on. While meant to be reassuring, that kind of statement only adds “even more pressure on Piastri”. His challenge isn’t just Verstappen; it’s the crushing mental weight of knowing his teammate is closing in fast.

So what is this investigation really about? Officially, it’s about “ensuring proper racing conduct and driver equality”. Unofficially, it’s about one thing: control. Zak Brown needs to reestablish order before this title fight becomes a full-blown civil war. The investigation could lead to stricter communication rules, clearer race orders, or even a reshuffle of the team’s management structure. The message is simple: McLaren must protect the championship, “even if it means upsetting one of its stars”.

But is it already too late? The internal friction is affecting morale. And with five races to go, Red Bull’s momentum looks unstoppable. If McLaren continues to implode from within, Verstappen “won’t just catch them; he’ll destroy them”.

This investigation is McLaren’s last chance to keep the 2025 dream alive. For Piastri, the mission is clear: regain form, “silence the noise”, and prove he can lead a title charge under pressure. For Norris, it’s the moment he’s waited for his entire career: to prove he’s not just McLaren’s “loyal soldier”, but a true championship-caliber driver.

History has shown that championships aren’t just won on the track. They are won in how teams handle a crisis. The only question that matters now is: can McLaren survive this one?