McLaren sound F1 title warning: 'We need to be careful'

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has stated his squad must be “careful” not to get carried away with thoughts of a potential F1 title battle this year.

Rivals Mercedes has started the year in dominant fashion, with four grand prix wins from the opening four rounds.

However, defending champions McLaren enjoyed their most competitive showing yet last weekend in Miami, securing a double podium along with a sprint race victory for Lando Norris.

But with less than 20 per cent of the season completed, Stella stressed that it is still too early to draw firm conclusions about McLaren’s position in the title fight.

“I think if we now started to consider championships at the end of the season, then we need to be a bit careful,” Stella said in response to a question from RacingNews365.

“We are just at our fourth race. We have just delivered our first upgrade. 

“McLaren looks traditionally like [we] have done very well in Miami. So it could be that the way we develop our cars suit these circuits. So we have to see more.”

However, Stella has commended the team for its early-season performance and insisted it has not given up in its quest to defend its double-championship success from 2025.

“But at the same time, it's only the fourth race, and we have scored a good chunk of points, even compared to Mercedes,” he said.

“We know that we can further develop our car. We have said already before Miami that the championship is not a sign-off. 

“So our logic is to look at the long term, try and defend the championship.

“But as soon as we say that, we come back in the present and we do the right thing today, because there's really not much point in thinking so far forward.

“But definitely, we want to defend the championship.”