McLaren issued impossible F1 driver warning: 'That is going to be an issue'

Former F1 driver Derek Daly believes McLaren will not be able to sustain its approach to managing its drivers going forward.

Both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were left free to fight for the title this year as McLaren commenced the year at the head of the pecking order.

However, a late-season resurgence from Red Bull saw Max Verstappen become a late factor in the battle.

Norris ended the season as champion but only a narrow two points ahead of Verstappen, while Piastri slipped to third place in the standings.

McLaren opted against favouring one of its drivers as Verstappen's threat loomed large and only conceded it would make a call at the final round of the season if the title looked to be in danger.

When asked in an exclusive interview with RacingNews365 if he thinks McLaren's approach to managing its drivers is sustainable, Daly said: “No, I don't. That's going to be an issue for them.

“If Max Verstappen didn't have his bad run in the middle of the season, he would have been a world champion, because they favour him. 

“They'll do everything possible, just like Ferrari did with [Michael] Schumacher. McLaren got away with it this year.

“But it's extremely difficult, if not almost impossible, to genuinely back two drivers when you're against a team like Red Bull, who will back just one driver to beat the two of theirs.”

Red Bull's form took a dramatic slip in the mid-part of the season, which left Verstappen on a run that frequently saw him miss out on a podium.

As Daly declared Verstappen as F1's top competitor, he asserted the European leg struggle cost the Dutchman his fifth straight title triumph.

“There's no doubt Verstappen is the best man in F1,” Daly added.  

“Proving that you have to have all the pieces of the package operating at a high level showed that their lull in the midseason cost them dearly. 

“So the best man is still Verstappen.”