Max Verstappen leaves McLaren concerned - 'We have to accept it'

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has declared that his team 'have to accept the fight' with Max Verstappen and Red Bull during the closing stages of the 2025 campaign. The Dutchman has burst back onto the scene with a strong late-season resurgence.

Heading into this weekend's United States Grand Prix, Drivers' Championship leader Oscar Piastri is 63 points ahead of Verstappen. However, the Australian hasn't finished ahead of Red Bull's star man in the past three races, marking a momentum swing in favour of the reigning world champion.

Before the Singapore Grand Prix last time out, Helmut Marko declared that Red Bull's performance at the Marina Bay Street Circuit - historically a banana peel for the team - would determine whether they are truly in the fight with McLaren over the coming six races. Verstappen's RB21 passed the test with flying colours.

"They were competitive in Monza, very competitive," Stella said ahead of the race in Austin. "And then they were competitive in Baku. We thought, 'Let's see whether this [competitiveness] depends on using a low level of drag, small rear wings, and [if] it can be repeated at high level drag and big rear wings'.

"Here in Singapore, they might have struggled a bit in the past, and the evidence is that they might have resolved both of these high-drag and Singapore factors. But this is not a surprise.

"It's Red Bull. They are extremely capable. Max is a driver who is just Max Verstappen. I don't think we need to make any further comments, so it's no surprise that they are in the game.

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"It's tight, and it's interesting; obviously, we would like to make Formula One boring. We have done it sometimes, at some of the events, but normally, Formula One is competitive and tight. You have to accept the fight, and that's what we are doing."

While Red Bull have put their car back in a position capable of fighting McLaren, Verstappen is not the primary concern for Piastri at the top of the standings. That title goes to the Australian's team-mate, Lando Norris, who has out-scored him in six of the last eight Grand Prix weekends.

The Brit looked to be down and out after suffering a mechanical failure at the Dutch Grand Prix, but he has clawed himself back to within 22 points of Piastri with six races remaining. With Verstappen in the fight and Mercedes showing pace in Singapore, Norris will be welcoming the presence of other drivers as he looks to wrestle back control of the title fight.