The 2025 Formula 1 season is unfolding with breathtaking and unpredictable drama, pushing McLaren into an impossible dilemma. After a promising start where Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris consistently dominated the track, it seemed the papaya team was destined to finally topple Red Bull’s long reign. However, after just a few races, the situation has turned on its head, especially following the shock at Baku. Now, a stunning revelation from Oscar Piastri himself has elevated the drama to a new level, exposing tense internal discussions about choosing a number one driver to counter the formidable return of Max Verstappen.

In a season that once seemed firmly in McLaren’s grasp, Baku became a nightmare. Piastri crashed out in a regrettable incident, while Norris could only salvage a seventh-place finish. Meanwhile, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen delivered a flawless performance, securing a commanding victory and slashing the points gap to the championship leader to just 69. Once unthinkable, Verstappen’s resurgence and threat to the crown has become a harsh reality for McLaren. The question is no longer whether they can hold their lead, but what they must do to stop a driver who appears simply unbeatable.

The Return of the Hunter: Verstappen Threatens McLaren’s Throne

For months, the main narrative in F1 was the meteoric rise of McLaren. Their young duo, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, were not just competing fiercely with each other but were also consistently challenging Red Bull, making the Constructors’ Championship seem almost a certainty for the orange team. Red Bull, after years of dominance, appeared to have lost its aura of invincibility, struggling to regain its peak form. However, after just two dramatic races, that narrative has been completely torn apart. Max Verstappen, written off by many after a sluggish start to the year, has mounted what could be one of the most dramatic comebacks in F1 history.

With back-to-back wins in Monza and Baku, Verstappen has reignited his championship hopes. At Monza, his pole position and clinical race win signaled a turning point. Then, at Baku, he proved it was no fluke, comfortably controlling the race while McLaren imploded. With seven races remaining, the 69-point gap to championship leader Piastri is suddenly not an insurmountable barrier. In a season where momentum is everything, Verstappen is gaining speed at the exact moment McLaren is faltering.

The deep-seated fear within McLaren is not just about the points gap; it’s about psychology. When Andrea Stella, their team principal, openly admitted that Verstappen is now the biggest threat, it was a public acknowledgment that McLaren no longer feels untouchable. Stella’s analysis of Red Bull’s improvements was telling: “They were fast in the corners, fast in the straights, and Max can deliver strong weekends when the car is competitive.” That statement is both respectful and ominous. McLaren knows Verstappen is a different animal when given the right tools.

McLaren’s Difficult Equation: Fairness or Victory?

The dilemma now facing McLaren goes beyond engineering. It’s a matter of politics and strategy. For much of the season, McLaren’s biggest challenge was managing its own drivers. Piastri, the rising star, has been calm, consistent, and deadly in execution. Meanwhile, Norris has fought with flair and determination, proving himself equally capable of winning races. Until Baku, it seemed possible that both drivers could be allowed to fight freely, as McLaren sought to maintain fairness. But in Formula 1, fairness often dies when titles are at stake.

Guenther Steiner, the former Haas boss and no stranger to controversial opinions, has urged McLaren to make the hard choice now. In his view, Norris should be relegated to the supporting role, helping Piastri secure the title. Steiner’s reasoning is ruthless: “Both cannot win. So instead of having two fighting and losing it all, you get somebody to win.” He is essentially telling McLaren to abandon their romantic idealism in favor of cold pragmatism.

The problem is, Norris is not just another driver. He is the face of McLaren, the driver they’ve marketed as their long-term leader, the man many fans associate with the team’s resurgence. Demoting him would create headlines around the world, potentially destabilizing his relationship with McLaren. Yet, Steiner argues that the risk of internal conflict is nothing compared to the risk of letting Verstappen steal the crown. His words were blunt: “If you lose it because of that decision, how dumb do you look?”

Verstappen: The Dangerous Hunter with No Pressure

And let’s be clear, Verstappen’s comeback is no fantasy. He has a history of capitalizing on rivals’ weaknesses. In 2021, he outlasted Lewis Hamilton in one of the most intense title fights in history. In 2023, he and Red Bull were untouchable, rewriting records with ruthless efficiency. Now, in 2025, he finds himself cast in a different role: the hunter, not the hunted. That makes him dangerous. With no pressure and no expectations, Verstappen can attack freely, forcing McLaren to play on the defensive.

Even Red Bull’s leadership is starting to sense an opportunity. Helmut Marko, never shy about stirring the narrative, has hinted that Singapore will be the true benchmark. If Red Bull performs well there, at a track where they have historically struggled, then Verstappen’s title hopes could suddenly become very real. Marko’s words carried a subtle warning: “If we’re competitive in Singapore, maybe we can start dreaming.” For McLaren, that dream would be a nightmare.

Singapore: The Crossroads of Destiny

The Singapore Grand Prix now looms as a crossroads. For McLaren, it is a chance to recover, to prove that Baku was a one-off disaster. The Marina Bay circuit, with its slow corners and punishing heat, has historically been a tricky one for Red Bull. Even in their record-breaking 2024 season, Singapore was the race that broke their winning streak. If McLaren can dominate there, they can silence the doubts, rebuild momentum, and reassert control. But if Verstappen wins, the alarm bells will be deafening.

There is also the internal question of how McLaren will handle their two drivers. At Monza, the team controversially ordered Piastri to move aside for Norris after a pit stop mix-up, showing that equality isn’t always straightforward in practice. If they continue to juggle fairness while Verstappen keeps closing the gap, they risk losing both championships. Every mistake now will be magnified, every misstep punished.

Piastri has already hinted that McLaren is working harder than ever behind the scenes to correct errors. He has also stated that the team will prioritize him, given that he currently leads the championship standings. Those comments, while logical, reveal a subtle shift in tone. For the first time, the McLaren camp is openly acknowledging that Norris may have to play second fiddle. That kind of statement, coming from the driver himself, is rare, and it suggests that the internal debate is already raging.

Meanwhile, Norris remains a wild card. After trimming Piastri’s lead to just 25 points in Baku, he knows he is still very much in contention. Will he accept a supporting role if McLaren imposes one, or will he resist, risking a rift inside the team at the very moment Verstappen is closing in? The Norris factor could be decisive, not only for McLaren’s title hopes but for the long-term harmony of the team.

At the heart of this drama lies one brutal truth: Formula 1 rewards decisiveness. Teams that hesitate are punished. Red Bull knows this, Ferrari has learned it the hard way, and now McLaren must prove they are ruthless enough to survive at the top. The Constructors’ Championship is still heavily tilted in their favor, but the Drivers’ crown—the prize every team craves—is suddenly vulnerable.

So, I’ll leave it to you. Should McLaren pull the trigger now and back Piastri as their number one driver, or should they continue letting Norris and Piastri fight it out, even if it risks letting Verstappen steal the title? Share your thoughts in the comments below. I’d love to hear your take on this. And if you enjoyed this analysis, don’t forget to hit the like button and subscribe so you never miss any of the latest and most exciting Formula 1 stories.