McLaren cast verdict on drivers’ title after Verstappen’s Abu Dhabi pole

Speaking to Sky Sports in the aftermath of qualifying, the 54-year-old highlighted how close both McLaren drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, are as the final race of the campaign approaches.

“Having Oscar and Lando so close is the story of the season. This qualifying session is symbolic of what’s been a very close performance between Oscar and Lando, and it’s fair and good that they are both here fighting for the championship," he said

Stella continued by expressing satisfaction with his drivers’ performance despite Verstappen claiming pole position.

“Verstappen and Red Bull had one or two tenths more than us today, fair enough, they are on pole position. I’m happy with the performance. I think Oscar and Lando managed to extract what was available in the car today," he added.

The McLaren team boss concluded by emphasising that the team must perform on race day to claim the drivers’ crown.

“A positive day in the economy of the championship. It’s in our hands, but we need to deliver tomorrow. We are not alone – Russell and Leclerc will be in the mix. It will be a complex race, but one where we need to do the best job possible, deliver, and let Lando and Oscar have their options and possibilities for the championship," Stella concluded.

The trio of Verstappen, Norris, and Piastri all remain in contention to clinch the 2025 drivers’ title. Verstappen, however, was quick to show his intent ahead of Sunday’s race, claiming pole position with a staggering lap time of 1:22.207, over two-tenths of a second ahead of Norris.

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