McLaren’s Qatar Miscalculation: When Strategy Costs Points
High-level motorsport is often a contest of fractions—of seconds, of choices, of confidence. For McLaren, the Qatar Grand Prix in November 2025 was a vivid reminder of just how quickly a championship narrative can shift. With their drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris locking out the front row for the 57-lap race at Lusail International Circuit, victory for Norris would have secured his first Formula 1 World title. The stage was set for McLaren to seize the moment.
But racing, like life, rarely sticks to the script. At the very start, Norris lost ground to Max Verstappen—a warning sign. Then, on Lap 7, a stranded Kick Sauber triggered a Safety Car, reshaping the entire race dynamic. Most of the field pitted, but McLaren stuck to their pre-race plan, keeping Piastri and Norris out. With Pirelli limiting tire stints to 25 laps, McLaren’s duo would have to pit under green flag conditions, a move that proved costly as Verstappen surged ahead, eventually claiming victory. Piastri salvaged second, Norris fourth, and the championship fight now teetered on a razor’s edge heading to Abu Dhabi.
CEO Zak Brown’s post-race comments were candid: “We made the wrong decision. Feel terrible for Oscar and Lando.” The team had evaluated the risk of a Safety Car but got it wrong, and Brown was unequivocal about the responsibility: “You win and lose as a team but definitely not a great moment.” Despite leading the championship, McLaren’s margin had shrunk. Norris held a slim 12-point lead over Verstappen, with Piastri trailing by just four points more.
Lessons in Leadership: Accepting Fault, Elevating Performance
It’s easy to second-guess in hindsight, but Brown and Team Principal Andrea Stella refused to shift blame to their drivers. Stella emphasized, “Our drivers are doing a very good job and, if anything, it’s the team that needs to elevate their game.” The previous round in Las Vegas had already seen both McLaren drivers disqualified—another blow that intensified the pressure. Stella’s words carried a sobering clarity: “We are haemorrhaging points in a way in the last two events.”
For McLaren, the challenge was clear: learn, adapt, and deliver in Abu Dhabi. The team still had a fast car and two talented drivers, but execution had to be flawless. As Stella put it, “We need to use all the information to make sure that we execute a perfect race weekend. I think we have all the ingredients to be successful, it’s still in our hands but it requires to do a better job than what we have done in the last two races.”