George Russell believes McLaren’s 2025 car is untouchable, with a massive advantage over rivals. Can they really win every race this season?
Could McLaren’s 2025 Formula 1 car be the new Red Bull of 2023, dominating the season with unbeatable performance?
George Russell certainly thinks so. After finishing third in the Australian Grand Prix, the Mercedes driver believes McLaren is crushing the competition in a way never seen before.
“Their car is clearly capable of winning every race,” Russell stated.
“It should win every race, though I don’t think they’ll take all of them. But let’s see.”
According to Russell, McLaren’s current advantage over the field is even greater than what Red Bull had in 2023 with Max Verstappen.
“The gap they have right now is bigger than anything Red Bull ever had. But when Max was in the 2023 Red Bull, he was consistently perfect—every lap, every Q3 run, every session. There was never any doubt.”
Russell admits that Mercedes must seize any opportunities, just as they did in Melbourne, where McLaren should have secured a one-two finish.
“In 2023, Red Bull was about three to four tenths ahead. What we’re seeing with McLaren now is an even bigger gap.”
McLaren’s Secret Weapon: Tire Management?
After the Australian GP, Russell suggested McLaren has such an overwhelming lead that they could already shift their focus to developing their 2026 car.
One of their biggest strengths? Tire management. But what’s the secret behind McLaren’s dominance in this area?
“If you’re looking for massive gains in lap time purely from aerodynamics, that doesn’t happen in one season. It never has.”
“They’re clearly doing something better than everyone else. They’re much faster when the tires get up to temperature.”
This isn’t a sudden revelation—Russell points out that signs were there from pre-season testing.
“We saw it in Bahrain testing. We saw it in Melbourne’s qualifying, especially in Sector 3, where they were four tenths faster than anyone else. It’s the same car in Sectors 1 and 2—the only difference is tire overheating.”
While other teams, including Mercedes, look for improvements, Russell isn’t optimistic about catching up in this area.
“There’s room for us to improve… but we don’t think there’s much potential left in this area—it’s a very controlled aspect of performance.”
Will FIA’s New Directive Change Anything?
The FIA’s new Technical Directive (TD), set to limit rear wing flexibility from the Chinese Grand Prix onwards, has raised questions about its impact on McLaren. But according to Lando Norris, McLaren won’t need to make any adjustments.
Russell, for his part, downplays the directive’s significance.
“If this rule had been in place in Melbourne, McLaren still would’ve won. They’re just too far ahead.”
As for whether Mercedes will be affected?
“It won’t change anything for us. I don’t know which team this directive is aimed at, but I’m pretty sure it’s not us or Red Bull.”
“And honestly, for the teams that will be impacted, I doubt it’ll be enough to change race results.”
McLaren’s Only Weakness? Cold Weather
Is McLaren unbeatable? Maybe not. Russell believes their one potential weakness is cold conditions.
“They seem much better than everyone else at keeping their tires cool. We saw this last year—Singapore was incredibly hot, a tough street circuit, and they dominated. Same with Zandvoort, where overheating was a problem. But in Las Vegas? They were nowhere.”
Russell suspects that McLaren might struggle on certain tracks but warns that the team is likely already working on a solution.
“I expect them to have some kind of fix in place. They must know where they’ll struggle.”
Verstappen: McLaren Is “Way Ahead”
Max Verstappen was asked about Russell’s comments regarding his 2023 dominance, but the Dutchman wasn’t quick to compare.
“I always find it hard to answer that question because, honestly, it’s impossible to say unless you’ve driven the car yourself.”
Still, the Red Bull driver acknowledges McLaren’s sheer speed.
“They are incredibly strong. I have a lot of respect for what they’ve achieved. They were already impressive last year, and now they’re even faster.”
“They’re competitive everywhere. That’s a fact. As for how big the gap really is, that’s harder to say.”
But one thing is clear:
“They’ve found something special, and the gap is huge.”
With a dominant car, exceptional tire management, and a clear lead over the competition, McLaren seems poised to control the 2025 season. But as Russell and Verstappen both suggest, only time will tell if their advantage holds up across every circuit and condition.
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McLaren’s F1 Masterstroke: Is 2025 Already Wrapped Up? McLaren’s F1 Masterstroke: Is 2025 Already Wrapped Up?
