As the 2025 Formula 1 season kicks off, McLaren has firmly established itself as the team to beat, with their drivers dominating the opening rounds. Lando Norris secured victory in the season opener in Australia, while his teammate Oscar Piastri has impressively claimed four wins in the next five races. This exceptional performance has catapulted McLaren to a commanding 105-point lead in the Constructors’ Standings, leaving Mercedes and other competitors trailing far behind. In the Drivers’ Championship, Piastri leads Norris by 16 points, with Max Verstappen sitting 32 points adrift in third place.
This remarkable success marks a new elite milestone in McLaren’s history, one that previous star drivers such as Fernando Alonso and Daniel Ricciardo never reached. The milestone centers on the unprecedented number of race wins in a single calendar year, highlighting a period of dominance not seen in over a decade for the Woking-based outfit. Since Norris’ first career win at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, McLaren drivers have amassed an incredible eleven victories combined—five from Norris and six from Piastri. This turnaround is even more striking considering McLaren secured only one win in the 11 years prior to 2024.
The solitary win before this resurgence came in the 2021 Italian Grand Prix, where Daniel Ricciardo stepped onto the top step. Before that, it was Jenson Button’s triumph at the 2012 Brazilian Grand Prix that broke a long drought. Despite the presence of talented drivers like Alonso, Sergio Perez, Carlos Sainz, and Kevin Magnussen in the intervening years, McLaren struggled to deliver podium-winning performances or any race victories, largely due to challenges with car performance and engine partnerships.
For many years, McLaren’s struggles were closely tied to their technical and strategic setbacks, particularly during the difficult turbo-hybrid era that began in 2014. The team’s partnership with Honda failed to bear fruit, causing a sharp decline in competitiveness. However, fortunes began to shift when Zak Brown replaced Ron Dennis as CEO in 2016. Brown’s leadership brought strategic vision, savvy driver acquisitions, and lucrative sponsorship deals that gradually rebuilt McLaren’s foundation.
One of Brown’s most influential decisions was appointing Andrea Stella, a former Ferrari engineer, as team principal. Stella’s technical expertise and leadership have been instrumental in steering the team back to glory. From an uncompetitive start in the 2022 Bahrain Grand Prix, McLaren transformed its performance over just a couple of seasons. By the 2023 Austrian Grand Prix, they were regularly contending for podium finishes, a dramatic improvement that highlighted the team’s growing strength.
Entering 2024, McLaren showcased one of the fastest cars on the grid, a development that culminated in their first Constructors’ Championship since 1998. Their pace advantage has continued into the 2025 season, evident from their dominance in the opening races and the unmatched race win streak from Norris and Piastri. The consistency and speed shown by the drivers highlight McLaren’s resurgence as a powerhouse in Formula 1.
The significance of this elite milestone is profound. For Lando Norris, it not only confirms his rising status among the sport’s best but also cements a legacy alongside Piastri that could redefine McLaren’s modern era. Their combined ability to challenge and outperform previous team legends proves the effectiveness of McLaren’s renewed strategy and technical direction. As the season progresses, expectations are high that this momentum will translate into further victories and possibly a successful defense of both the Constructors’ and Drivers’ titles.
Ultimately, McLaren’s trajectory from years of struggle to dominant frontrunners, spearheaded by talents like Lando Norris, exemplifies resilience and visionary leadership in motorsport. Fans and experts alike will be watching closely to see if this team can sustain its remarkable form and build on what may become one of the most impressive chapters in Formula 1 history.
