Max Wins, McLaren Melts Down

The Monza Grand Prix wasn't just another long awaited Max Verstappen win, it was proof that McLaren's biggest threat is themselves. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri showed once again that the papaya team is top of the field while McLaren imposed team orders that divided fans even more than they already are. The question now isn't "can McLaren win?" it's "can they survive themselves?"

Max Verstappen does Max Verstappen Things

Max Verstappen Celebrating his Win at the Monza Grand Prix. Courtesy of Formula1.com

Max Verstappen wins. That's it, that's the sentence. He started on pole, created a simply lovely gap, and even had a chuckle on the radio while the McLaren drivers acted like headless chickens behind him. Not to mention that he casually broke the record for the fastest race in F1 history at the same time. Max is one of the greats, and Monza was just another reminder.

McLaren on Implosion Watch

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri Post Race. Courtesy of Formula1.com

McLaren has the fastest car on the grid, with the debate having been long settled. They can even clinch the constructors in Azerbaijan if they really want to. But this poses the question, why is a team that has the championship in the bag still giving team orders to their two drivers that are fighting for a driver's championship? After a painful, near six-second pit stop for Lando, McLaren called for team orders since Oscar had managed to slip past him in an unfortunate sequence of events. Piastri fired fans up even more when his radio lit up with him saying that the team had talked about it, and agreed that this was just part of racing. This chaos leaves us fans wondering: are we watching a title fight, or just a chess match of team orders?

Can Max go for five?

Max Verstappen commemorating his win with his Team. Courtesy of Formula1.com

The Dutch driver's win at Monza has sparked a new shred of hope in his fans; it's not over until it's mathematically impossible. Monza showed us that the McLaren might be fast, but its straight-line speed isn't anywhere near that of the Redbull. Coupled with the fact that McLaren is deeply committed to the papaya family gimmick, loyal Max fans have made spreadsheets showing how exactly the rest of the season needs to go to give Max Verstappen a fifth consecutive WDC. Is it likely? Probably not, but it is chaotic enough to happen in this sport.

McLaren and the Long Game

The McLaren Teammates walking ahead of their team principal, Andrea Stella. Courtesy of Formula1.com

What makes the mess with the McLaren team orders even more interesting is that it's not really going away anytime soon. Both drivers are tied into multi-year contracts, which means McLaren has to balance the two for the foreseeable future. There's no guarantee that the car will perform the same in 2026, especially with the new regulations coming into play, but that doesn't mean that the skills of the drivers will fade either. Monza was essentially a preview of the balance game that McLaren will be playing for years to come.

What this means for the Season Ahead

With Monza being the end of the European leg of the Formula 1 season, we've been able to cement a few things. McLaren has the car to win the championship, but do they plan to make it a championship of team orders or driver talent? Max Verstappen is not to be discounted, and we need to expect anything and everything from him. McLaren is on the brink of self-destruction, and even having the fastest car on the grid can't save them from themselves. Chaos is guaranteed, and we're all tuning in for these final eight races.

Edited by Ashley Holloman