McLaren threaten to 'expose' Max Verstappen if F1 title 'games' played

McLaren has threatened to "expose" Max Verstappen to the undercut if he attempts to play "games" in the F1 title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

Verstappen starts on pole at Yas Marina, ahead of points leader Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in third, with all three in title contention. 

For Verstappen to win the title, he must finish on the podium, but if Norris claims any podium place, he will be the 2025 champion. 

As such, the prospect of Verstappen backing the McLarens into the field if he is leading at the end of Lap 1 has been raised, a la Lewis Hamilton on Nico Rosberg in 2016.

However, since Hamilton tried to back Rosberg into Sebastian Vettel and Verstappen, the track has undergone major changes, with twisty chicanes replaced by sweeping corners, thus making it harder to back rivals up. 

Nonetheless, McLaren boss Andrea Stella believes that if games are deployed, Verstappen will place himself at risk of being exposed by the two McLarens versus one Red Bull. 

"I think it is an advantage, we have more options to play if you slow down too much, and you may be susceptible to being attacked with undercuts," Stella observed to media, including RacingNews365. 

"You may expose yourself in terms of being overtaken, so it is definitely good that we are there with two cars.

"That is the position I would take rather than having the two cars split and separated on track."

Turning to the start of the race, Stella explained how he expects Norris to be "prudent" at Turn 1, where Verstappen, and indeed Piastri, will be starting from the natural racing line with the better turn into the tight-left-hander.

"From Lando's point of view, considering the inside of Turn 1 in Abu Dhabi, I think it would be relatively prudent as it is one of those, where from the inside, [you don't] necessarily get the better exit and the car on the outside can close," Stella added.

"So I think there will be some prudency, which is what I'd recommend, but Lando is certainly in a very strong position.

"In terms of the options that Max tries to play [games], honestly, I am not too worried. I think we will see some interesting racing, but I am sure all these will happen within the boundaries of sportsmanship and fairness."