Why McLaren Feels Halting 2025 F1 Development Was the Right Call

Red Bull pushes fresh upgrades as McLaren freezes development

Red Bull has rolled into Mexico City with the only major car update in the pitlane, while McLaren stands firm on its decision to halt development, even at the risk of handing Max Verstappen late-season momentum.

McLaren Defends Development Freeze as Red Bull Pushes Ahead

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella has clarified the reasoning behind the team's choice to halt development on the MCL39 amidst Red Bull's aggressive upgrades to the RB21. While Red Bull continues to push for performance improvements, McLaren prioritizes long-term success, shifting resources towards their 2026 project to ensure a competitive future. Stella indicated that their current development potential has plateaued, making it impractical …

Why McLaren hasn’t rivalled Red Bull’s late F1 upgrades in 2025

McLaren boss Andrea Stella has said the team’s 2026 plans could have been “heavily compromised” had it continued developing its 2025 Formula 1 car like Red Bull. The earlier-season dominance that had helped McLaren to claim the Constructors’ title has subsided in recent months as Red Bull has mounted a renewed challenge. Max Verstappen has capitalised on improvements to Red Bull’s RB21 to claim three victories in four races, a run that has prope…

Why McLaren feels halting 2025 F1 development was right call against Red Bull

Despite Max Verstappen's late challenge, McLaren feels it has made the right decision to stop development of its 2025 Formula 1 car early