Stella pushes back against 'number 1' discussions as the pressure increases.

      Despite Max Verstappen's title challenge intensifying the championship race, McLaren remains steadfast in their stance that neither Oscar Piastri nor Lando Norris will be designated as the 'number 1' driver. Red Bull’s Laurent Mekies commented after the Austin race that McLaren’s consideration of this issue is "exactly what they should be doing."

      "To be completely honest, it's not something I'm focused on at all," the Frenchman stated. "This is the right approach for McLaren. I don’t have an opinion on it—it's up to them." Verstappen's commanding performance in Texas has reduced Piastri's lead to just 40 points, with Norris also closing the gap. However, Piastri dismissed the notion of elevating one driver over the other.

      "I don’t think that's the case," the Australian said. "We're still incredibly close, and we've both expressed a desire to compete for the championship because we both deserve it. It’s too tight to start favoring one driver over the other." Team principal Andrea Stella concurred, indicating that McLaren will only interfere if the situation calls for it mathematically.

      "If a decision needs to be made, it will be purely based on the mathematics," Stella confirmed. "I can recall the years 2007 and 2010, where the third-place driver ended up winning the championship on the last race. We won't shut the door unless the math dictates it."

      Verstappen’s recent performance—gaining 23 points on Piastri in Austin alone—has added pressure on McLaren, with Dr. Helmut Marko suggesting that Red Bull has "another car update in the pipeline." Nonetheless, Stella emphasized the need for the team to remain composed.

      "First and foremost, I need to keep calm myself," he said. "What we’re currently experiencing—an intense battle for wins and the Drivers' Championship—is precisely what Formula 1 represents. It was unusual for us to achieve P1 and P2 so easily in Barcelona, Bahrain, and several other venues. Now it's about adapting to this level of pressure and managing it with maximum intensity but minimal stress."

      He added, "We don’t want to lose the enjoyment of what we do. It’s a privilege to be in this position, one that is the result of the hard work from the team and both drivers. Our approach going forward is straightforward: continue performing well, and the results will come."

      Despite Verstappen’s efforts, Stella refuted suggestions that McLaren is losing grip in the battle. "The fact that we still have five races and two sprints means we could potentially widen the gap to Verstappen," he noted. "We view the upcoming races as an opportunity to extend that gap."