Dec.3 (GMM) Two prominent paddock voices have delivered scathing assessments of McLaren’s late-season collapse, warning that the team’s blunders in Las Vegas and Qatar may hand Max Verstappen the 2025 world championship.
Bild veteran Helmut Uhl mocked the explanations coming from Zak Brown and Andrea Stella after the Qatar safety car pit strategy fiasco.
“When I hear these flimsy excuses, they’re making a fool of themselves as the most clueless people in Formula 1,” he charged.
“In a situation like that, every team would go in for a free tyre change – every single one! Which is exactly what happened!
“Except for those idiots.”
Uhl even suggested the team narrative around its two drivers had become so distorted that it’s not ridiculous to suggest “McLaren stole the title from Piastri”.
“The ‘new guy’ must not become the first world champion after the 17-year drought,” he said. “After all these incomprehensible reactions, one is almost tempted to wish Max Verstappen all the best for the last race.”
Former Red Bull driver Christian Klien echoed the criticism on Austria’s Servus TV, calling McLaren’s Qatar strategy “completely botched” and warning that the pressure may now overwhelm Lando Norris.
“I wouldn’t want to be in Lando’s shoes,” the Austrian admitted.
Klien said Verstappen’s comeback from 104 points behind Piastri after the summer break had relied on McLaren repeatedly failing at crucial moments.
“Nine teams and 18 drivers knew they had to pit on lap 7 – only McLaren thought they knew better,” he said. “It can’t be that McLaren was so wrong.”
He believes the team froze under pressure.
“McLaren was frozen in shock,” said Klien. “Lando should have been told immediately what to do. McLaren is very biased because they want to give both drivers the same opportunity. Now that’s increasingly backfiring on them.”
With Yas Marina now looming, Klien said the dynamic is obvious: “There are two drivers who have nothing to lose – Max and Oscar.
“There is one who has everything to lose, and that is Lando Norris.”
McLaren has also drawn raised eyebrows for its timing this weekend, with Oscar Piastri sitting out FP1 – in the decisive final event of the year – to make room for Pato O’Ward’s mandatory rookie outing.
“Max and Red Bull Racing are not making any mistakes at the moment,” Klien warned. “Everything is set for an ultra-exciting finale.”