Max Verstappen Uncovers Crucial McLaren Secret Behind its F1 Domination

Red Bull Racing Formula One driver Max Verstappen has uncovered McLaren’s strongest point that has helped it dominate the F1 grid thus far. For the first time since the inception of the current ground effect era in 2022, Verstappen is not leading the championship.

While the setback could be attributed to Red Bull’s dwindling performance due to reported issues on the RB21 F1 car, McLaren’s superior racecraft has proven it can master different kinds of circuits under extreme weather conditions.

Oscar Piastri leads the 2025 Drivers’ Standings with 284 points, nine points adrift of his teammate Lando Norris with 275 points. Verstappen is placed third in the standings with 187 points, 88 points less than Norris, his 2024 championship rival. From the looks of it, the Papaya outfit is on its way to securing both the Drivers’ Championship and Constructors’ Championship this year.

While the McLaren MCL39 is popular for reduced tire wear compared to its rivals, Verstappen revealed that the car’s medium cornering speed is unmatched by any other F1 challenger. Speaking to the media, he said:

“I think their medium speed performance is incredible compared to, I would say, everyone else on the grid. The rotation that they have on the front axle, without losing the rear, is something that is also quite incredible to see, and that’s something that we have to try to achieve.”

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella acknowledged the strong point, confirming that Verstappen was right in his observation. He said:

“That’s an easy answer because it can be answered just by looking at the GPS data. When you look at the speed comparison with some other teams, the data says that McLaren can generate the highest mid-corner speed in medium-speed corners.

“So, I think the assessment of Max is correct. We still have our weak points. If you go on a very high-speed corner like Copse, for instance, or Pouhon, we are not the fastest car. Likewise, probably in very low speed, we are not the fastest car.

“But the majority of corners in a championship happen to be medium-speed corners, and certainly in that range, our car is, data in hand, the best.”

Will Red Bull be able to work on gaining a similar advantage from the RB21? It seems unlikely, given the onset of a new era of regulations in 2026, that will see the introduction of new cars that all teams are currently developing. Red Bull senior advisor Helmut Marko confirmed in a recent interview that it was now impossible for Verstappen to secure his fifth championship title.