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Autosport
Autosport

The 2025 F1 McLaren is faster - so why does Verstappen keep beating it to poles?

As if there was any doubt, McLaren's crushing 1-2 win in Formula 1's Miami Grand Prix further confirmed that the papaya team remains well on top in racing conditions, especially when rear tyre wear is critical. But why is Max Verstappen regularly beating Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to pole as well?

Piastri led Norris home for his third consecutive win, and McLaren's fifth out of six races so far this season, with Mercedes' George Russell 37 seconds behind in third and Verstappen shipping an alarming 40 seconds. Sunday's result underlines that when rear tyre wear and overheating is a massive problem, McLaren can really flex its muscle and simply drive away from the competition once Pirelli's rubber starts degrading.

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