The smell of burning rubber and champagne quickly fades, but the sting of a strategic error lasts an entire season. For the Woking-based McLaren outfit, the thrill of their resurgence this year has been repeatedly tempered by costly mistakes – tactical, operational, and technical – that threaten to derail a genuine fight against Max Verstappen's relentless dominance.
The Woking squad has already been fraught with competition from the reigning champion, who took victory last time out in Qatar to take the championship down to the wire. McLaren has also remained firm and steadfast in its approach to equality and fairness between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, amid their own personal quest for the drivers' title.
