Charles Leclerc has issued a warning to McLaren as Max Verstappen continues to target the Formula 1 drivers’ championship, performing better than the team from Woking. Rumors have circulated that McLaren is struggling to keep pace with a Red Bull team in outstanding form. Even McLaren team boss Andrea Stella acknowledged that his team is closely monitoring the Milton Keynes outfit’s threat for the drivers’ championship.
When it comes to the constructors’ championship, McLaren remains unchallenged. The team leads with 623 points, ahead of Mercedes with 290 points and Ferrari with 286 points. The only real contest now is for second place, with Scuderia Ferrari potentially slipping to fourth if they encounter another challenging weekend in Singapore.
Despite this, Charles Leclerc has promised to give his all to reclaim second place in the constructors’ standings and, at the same time, sent a clear warning to McLaren regarding the drivers’ championship. For the Monegasque driver, as for many others in the sport, Verstappen is firmly back in contention for the title. Leclerc emphasized that the Dutchman “won’t leave anything on the table.”
Leclerc on Red Bull and Verstappen
Red Bull has made significant progress since introducing a new floor at the Italian Grand Prix. This upgrade has contributed to back-to-back victories for Max Verstappen, along with strong results from teammate Yuki Tsunoda. As a result, the four-time world champion has cut his deficit to the McLaren drivers by 28 points, bringing it to -69 points with seven races still remaining in the season.
If Red Bull continues to win and score points with both cars, and if Mercedes and Ferrari continue to face difficulties, the Milton Keynes team could even climb to second place in the constructors’ standings. Ferrari had held that position for much of the season, but after the Baku Grand Prix, Mercedes overtook them by 4 points. Recent struggles have been very evident, and now only 18 points separate the Silver Arrows, Ferrari, and Red Bull in fourth place.
Furthermore, apart from McLaren, Red Bull is the only team that has won multiple races this season, while Ferrari is still chasing their first victory. Verstappen’s recent form has convinced Charles Leclerc that the Milton Keynes team is currently outperforming Ferrari in terms of raw performance, although he does not believe they have returned to the dominant form seen in 2023.
The Monegasque commented: “I think Max won’t leave anything on the table [to win the title], that is certain.”
“I think they [Red Bull] have made a big step forward with the car and are now at a very strong level,” the 27-year-old added. “I don’t think the last two races were particularly easy weekends for McLaren, so I don’t believe Red Bull is dominating again.”
“I think the battle between McLaren and Red Bull is very tight, but Max is currently doing a better job,” Charles Leclerc concluded.
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