McLaren’s Unstoppable Rise in 2025: Why Their Rivals Struggle to Keep Up

The 2025 Formula 1 season has, so far, been nothing short of a spectacular display of dominance by McLaren. With nine wins from twelve Grands Prix and more than double the points tally of any other team, McLaren’s MCL39 has firmly established itself as the benchmark car on the grid. What’s more, the drivers’ championship battle appears set to be an all-McLaren affair, with Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris locked in a fierce intra-team rivalry for the crown.

But while McLaren’s success is undeniable, a crucial question remains: what has happened to the opposition? Early in the season, there was widespread belief that McLaren’s lead would diminish as rivals adapted and developed, but instead, the gap has widened, with McLaren looking almost unbeatable on race day—at least when their drivers deliver.

Ferrari’s Unfulfilled Potential

Ferrari, once seen as McLaren’s main challenger, has turned out to be the biggest disappointment of 2025. Last year, Ferrari pushed McLaren all the way in the constructors’ championship, and expectations were high that it would continue to challenge for the title. However, results have been sparse—outside of Lewis Hamilton’s sprint victory in China, Ferrari’s best finish has been second place, achieved just four times.

The Italian team’s struggles largely stem from technical issues. A significant floor upgrade introduced at the Austrian Grand Prix showed promise, improving overall pace. Yet a rear suspension modification, expected at the next race in Spa, hints at deeper problems with the damper’s power and responsiveness. Ferrari’s 2025 car features a shorter gearbox designed to allow the cockpit to be moved rearwards within the same wheelbase—an aerodynamic strategy aimed at opening up development potential. Unfortunately, this has led to a more compact damper that cannot keep the floor optimally positioned at high speed, forcing Ferrari to run a higher ride height and sacrificing valuable performance.

The instability at high-speed corners, particularly affecting Hamilton, has forced the team to adopt more extreme setup compromises. Despite this, Ferrari’s team principal Fred Vers remains hopeful that upcoming upgrades will restore competitiveness, allowing Ferrari to win races and hold onto second place in the constructors’ standings. With major rule changes looming in 2026, maintaining stability at the leadership level is crucial—especially as rumors swirl about Vers’ future.

Red Bull’s Turbulent Year

Red Bull’s 2025 campaign has been mired in difficulties, compounded by the mid-season removal of Christian Horner from operational duties. Lauren McKias, formerly of Racing Balls, has stepped in as CEO, tasked with reviving Max Verstappen’s title bid and preparing for the significant rule overhaul next year.

Although Red Bull sits fourth in the constructors’ championship, Verstappen has remained the closest on pace to McLaren among the drivers. Yet the team’s struggles stem from inherent car limitations. Despite floor modifications introduced for the Austrian and British Grands Prix, the RB21 still exhibits balance issues, particularly understeer in slower, longer corners.

Red Bull’s woes trace back to mid-2023, when the team dominated races but Verstappen already voiced concerns about front-to-rear balance disconnects. The team’s aging and temperature-sensitive wind tunnel has hindered development—a new state-of-the-art facility in Milton Keynes is scheduled for 2026, but until then, progress is limited.

Verstappen’s brilliant wins in Japan and other standout performances prove his skill, but with 69 points separating him from championship leader Piastri, and no major upgrades planned this season, a title challenge looks unlikely. The focus has shifted heavily toward 2026, leaving fans to wonder if Red Bull can mount a serious comeback next year.

Mercedes’ Temperature Troubles

Mercedes has delivered a mixed 2025 season, capable of wins—George Russell’s pole-to-win in Canada is a prime example—but often struggling to keep pace consistently. The W16 has shown responsiveness and potential, especially in cooler conditions on smooth tracks with shorter corners, but it falters when temperatures rise and tires degrade faster.

Technical director James Allison acknowledges that some problems might be “hardwired” into the car’s architecture, limiting mid-season fixes. The championship is increasingly a contest of tire temperature management, where Mercedes has fallen short in the warmer conditions typical at many races.

Still, Mercedes has introduced promising tweaks, such as modified rear suspension geometry to better control ride height under braking. Although some experiments, like the anti-lift geometry used at Imola, were temporarily shelved, further improvements are expected in upcoming races. However, while Mercedes remains a threat on cooler days, it appears unlikely to dethrone McLaren this season.

How McLaren Pulled Away

While rivals struggled, McLaren kept evolving. Aside from a small wobble in Canada, where Piastri finished fourth for only 12 points, the team bounced back with dominant one-two finishes in Austria and Britain. Their upgrade path has been steady and well-judged.

Canada saw a new front wing and suspension tweaks aimed at improving Lando Norris’s feedback and feel of the car—important since Piastri was already comfortable with the existing setup. While these changes didn’t directly boost performance, Norris feels they’ve helped his driving. Subsequent updates to suspension fairings, brake duct inlets, and wheel inner fairings have added incremental gains.

A modified floor was tested in practice at Silverstone but wasn’t immediately raced—however, it’s set to be introduced at Spa and beyond, signaling continued development focus. Although McLaren’s development for 2025 is winding down as they shift toward the 2026 regulations, the MCL39 remains outstanding at managing rear tire temperatures, a critical advantage that delivers strong race pace even if qualifying battles remain close.

The Road Ahead

With McLaren’s advantage seemingly unassailable, the remainder of the 2025 season looks like a coronation for the team and its drivers. However, the sport thrives on unpredictability, and there is still time for Ferrari to claw back performance through upgrades, for Red Bull to regain composure under new leadership, and for Mercedes to find solutions to their tire woes.

For now, though, McLaren has raised the bar to new heights, combining brilliant engineering, smart development, and talented drivers to seize control of the championship in dominant fashion. Whether they can maintain this momentum through the rest of 2025 and into the rule shakeup of 2026 will be one of Formula 1’s most compelling stories.

Full Video: