McLaren F1 "owe a nod to Pérez" for the Constructors' title

McLaren capitalized on Pérez’s struggles, but Norris and the team’s costly mistakes defined a turbulent 2024 season.

While Max Verstappen claimed the drivers’ championship ahead of Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc, Red Bull only finished 3rd in the constructors’ standings, trailing behind McLaren and even Ferrari.

This unprecedented event in 40 years naturally raises questions about Sergio Pérez’s declining competitiveness, particularly in the second half of the season.

Jan Lammers, promoter of the Dutch Grand Prix (which will disappear from the calendar at the end of 2025), bluntly said what everyone in Milton Keynes must be quietly thinking: Sergio Pérez is not up to standard and has greatly simplified matters for McLaren F1.

“I definitely think McLaren is the deserved champion this year,” said Lammers. “But I also think they can thank Sergio Pérez for that. He just hasn’t performed as well as McLaren’s second driver.”

Logically, next year, Sergio Pérez should be replaced due to insufficient performance. However, even with a replacement, there is no guarantee Red Bull will reclaim its dominance. As Lammers notes, in a period of regulatory stability, McLaren F1 (which ended with the best car) and therefore Lando Norris could be in the best position. The Briton will also have more experience.

“Next season, everyone will start from scratch…”

“Norris says himself that he has everything it takes to win the title.”

“Of course, he showed fantastic things this year, but there were also moments when he admitted: ‘I still have things to learn.’ That’s entirely admirable on his part.”

If Lando Norris needs to learn from his mistakes, McLaren F1 must also make significant progress, as the team wasted far too many points along the way.

This complementary perspective comes from Lammers’ colleague and former Bridgestone engineer, Ernest Knoors.

“McLaren has really laid very strong foundations this season,” said the Dutchman. “I think they paid the price this year because they hadn’t really fought for the championship in a long time. Their weakness was consistently getting the most out of the car because, since Miami, they were actually very fast.”

“Yet they constantly made mistakes, such as reacting too late to a safety car or misinterpreting the rules.”

“Lando has learned from that. He will also have learned how to fight against Verstappen, as he needs to be tougher and more decisive in this area,” he continued.

“The team needs to be more responsive in how it executes certain strategies and handles unpredictable circumstances. That’s something you learn from your mistakes. I believe they’ve taken a huge step forward in this regard this year, so I expect them to be well-prepared next season.”