McLaren 'nervous' as Max Verstappen closes in on title fight

The tension at McLaren is mounting as Max Verstappen’s charge gathers pace, with team insiders admitting the pressure is starting to show on Oscar Piastri and across the entire Woking operation.

After another bruising weekend in Austin, where Verstappen sliced deeper into Piastri’s points lead, McLaren CEO Zak Brown conceded that Red Bull’s resurgence is unmistakable.

“I’m glad the weekend is over,” Brown said after Sunday’s race. “Lando had the same speed as Max, but was too far behind Leclerc. Oscar struggled with the car all weekend, it wasn’t a good weekend for him. Now we have to stop their momentum. It’s going to be tight, but the World Championship isn’t over yet.”

For Piastri, though, the strain is becoming clear. “I don’t feel like I’ve made any big mistakes,” the Australian said. “It just hasn’t clicked. I haven’t felt that comfortable in the car here. That’s been the story of the weekend.”

Former F1 driver Giedo van der Garde believes the young McLaren star is under real pressure. “They’re trembling,” he said. “You can see McLaren, within the team and between the two drivers, making a lot of mistakes.

“Piastri isn’t in control right now. Norris was decent in qualifying, but still three-tenths off. Max is the one hunting, and he knows how to win a championship like this.”

Christijan Albers agreed that Piastri’s quiet exterior may mask growing anxiety. “Everyone says he’s so cool, but maybe he’s not as cool as we think,” he told Viaplay. “You don’t see obvious mistakes, but it’s too calm — he just can’t get it done.”

Team principal Andrea Stella, meanwhile, says McLaren must accept that Red Bull has reclaimed the upper hand. “We have to admit Verstappen and Red Bull have the most competitive car,” he told Sky Italia. “The track layout matters, but the gap can’t be explained by that alone. The competition has improved, and we need to extract more from our package.”

Still, Stella insists the team is holding together. “It’s a three-way battle, and we’re still masters of our destiny,” he said. “We have the equipment, now the drivers have to do their part. The upcoming races will let us show our strengths.” But not everyone is convinced McLaren can hold its nerve.

“The whole team is nervous,” warned Sky Deutschland pundit Timo Glock. “And there are tracks coming where Mercedes or Ferrari could steal points. “For me, Max Verstappen is simply too dominant now for anyone to really put him under pressure.”