Guenther Steiner warns of another McLaren crash as title battle intensifies

Former Haas boss Guenther Steiner warns McLaren faces another intra-team crash as the 2025 title fight intensifies, with six race weekends remaining.

Oscar Piastri leads Lando Norris by 22 points. McLaren has already sealed the constructors’ championship, shifting focus to the drivers’ crown.

Max Verstappen stays in range, 41 behind Norris and 63 off Piastri. Any lost points could reopen the contest.

McLaren has allowed both drivers to race freely, with a clear instruction to avoid contact. The policy delivered one race-ending clash in Canada.

Speaking on The Red Flags Podcast, Steiner forecasts another incident this season if boundaries are not tightened.

He argues team orders might be required to manage risk. Team orders are legal under current regulations, leaving the choice as a strategic call.

Steiner advises Zak Brown to prioritise Piastri, the current points leader, to reduce friction and maximise returns across critical phases.

Brown signals no immediate shift. He intends to keep equal opportunity in place, provided racing stays clean.

He stresses both drivers receive identical equipment and support, while acknowledging reliability swings and safety-car timing can distort outcomes.

The trade-off is stark. Freedom sustains form and morale, yet elevates collision risk and strategic exposure if rivals capitalise.

With Verstappen lurking, every compromised Sunday carries amplified cost. McLaren’s operational discipline and pit-wall decisiveness will be critical.

How McLaren calibrates policy over the run-in could decide the drivers’ title, and define its authority over an increasingly tense garage.

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Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller reports on Formula 1 Grand Prix weekends with race-day analysis, team-radio highlights, and point-standings updates. He explains power-unit upgrades, aerodynamic developments, and driver rivalries in straightforward, SEO-friendly language for a global F1 audience.