Why McLaren now face ultimate F1 title fight pressure

McLaren is on the verge of winning the F1 constructors' title for the first time since 1998, but the British outfit is also close to throwing away an incredible season. 

Turn back the clock to the 2023 Bahrain Grand Prix – the season-opener of last season – where Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri qualified in 11th and 19th, respectively. 

The Woking-based team has undergone an extraordinary transformation since that disastrous day, which all started in Austria last year, where a B-spec car was introduced as part of a huge upgrade package. 

Since that race at the Red Bull Ring, McLaren's upward trajectory has been unmatched, propelling the outfit to the top of this season's constructors' championship. 

Red Bull has been overthrown by the British team in the constructors' championship, while Ferrari has also overtaken it on the points tally board.

McLaren has largely possessed the strongest car on the grid across the last several events - but as is being witnessed, that does not guarantee title success.

Strategic errors, a fear of introducing team orders and Norris' mistakes have cost McLaren crucial points, which have already all but ended the 24-year-old's chances in the F1 drivers' title. 

Mathematically, Norris can still win the title, but with a 62-point advantage with three races remaining, it is Max Verstappen's championship to lose.

Constructors' title focus

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has insisted throughout the current campaign that the goal has always been the constructors' title, not the drivers'. 

There is evidence of this, particularly in McLaren's initial unwillingness to prioritise Norris over Piastri, as seen at the Hungaroring and at Monza, two races where valuable points were dropped by the Briton. 

It feels like McLaren never really took Norris' chances against Verstappen seriously, or at least until it was too late ahead of the recent Americas triple-header. 

McLaren, in both championships, squandered on Red Bull's struggles, with a number of signs emerging of late that the Milton Keynes-based team are making small strides back in the right direction.

The triple-header was far from smooth for McLaren, whilst the likes of Ferrari pounced on its issues. 

Norris and Verstappen tangled in both Austin and Mexico City, before making a series of errors which saw him finish sixth in São Paulo after starting on pole. 

Piastri, too, had a triple-header to forget, and averaged 8.3 points per race. Whilst McLaren were faltering, Ferrari were thriving, with a one-two in Austin, and a one-three in Mexico City. 

Of course, Verstappen's recovery from 17th on the grid to win the São Paulo Grand Prix has also kept Red Bull in title contention, with a miraculous double still being in reach.

In fact, across the recent triple-header, McLaren scored just eight points more than Red Bull, whilst Ferrari were the clear winners.

See the points scored across the triple-header below...

The final hurdle

McLaren's big challenge is to get over the final hurdle and secure a first constructors' title since 1998. 

To do that, it must lift itself from the shortcomings it has endured lately. Ferrari scored 39 points more than McLaren in the last three races and are now just 36 points adrift. 

A repeat performance would secure the Maranello-based team the title. Red Bull is less of a threat, unless Sergio Perez suddenly finds some remarkable form. 

With Norris' drivers' title hopes effectively being over, McLaren must take a step back and re-focus for the final triple-header. 

That could mean putting an end to the British driver being prioritised and instead put the team first, even if it is Piastri in front.

McLaren is so close to ending an almost three-decade run of not winning the constructors' title, the pressure is now at its highest to get over the finish line. 

If it does, then it could propel the outfit into next season, where it would find itself as favourites to defend its crown.