Anthony Davidson questions McLaren’s 'careful' approach in F1 title race

McLaren have been “almost too careful” in managing the F1 title battle between their drivers this year, Anthony Davidson has suggested.

Lando Norris heads into the final four races of the 2025 season leading the world championship by one point ahead of McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri following a dominant victory in Mexico City last time out, while Red Bull’s Max Verstappen is just 36 points behind.

McLaren have tried to ensure fairness between their two drivers throughout the season, but their policy and approach to racing has been complicated by the increased threat from Verstappen.

The Woking squad have already admitted they would rather risk a repeat of the 2007-style title loss to Verstappen than clinch the championship due to favouring one of their drivers.

But former F1 driver Davidson thinks McLaren’s determination to continue to let their drivers race now leaves them in a tricky situation as Verstappen continues to close in.

“I certainly think McLaren have been so careful, almost too careful in trying to do the right thing this year between their two drivers, that I can't imagine them in the end, favouring one driver over the other, just to secure a Drivers' Championship as well as the constructors' title,” he wrote in a Sky Sports F1 Q&A.

“I can't see them changing their tactics now in terms of the fairness that they've been so adamant on protecting all season.

“I think at this point you have to let them race, similar to the Fernando Alonso-Lewis Hamilton battle when they were team-mates at McLaren, and I think that could actually end up being Verstappen's strength in the final race.”

Can Piastri bounce back?

Piastri has seen what was a 34 point advantage over Norris after his seventh win of the season at the Dutch Grand Prix evaporate in the five races since.

The 24-year-old Australian has endured a worrying form dip and is without a victory since the end of August, while he has failed to finish on the podium in that time.

As a result, he finds himself a point behind a resurgent Norris, who has reclaimed the championship lead for the first time since April.

Despite momentum being with Norris, Davidson is not ruling out a late fightback from Piastri.

“I was impressed with how Oscar dusted himself off in Mexico after a disappointing qualifying. He got stuck in, he had good race pace and made some decisive moves when he needed to. I was impressed by how resilient he was,” he said.

“Things haven't gone his way recently, but nothing lasts forever, especially in F1. You're only as good as your last performance. He might completely turn things around in Brazil.

“He's got Qatar to look forward to, a circuit where he's traditionally been super strong. That's the track where he won his first (Sprint) race. He's just got to keep doing what he's done all year and just wait for a better day, because it will come.

“Lando is on a roll. Oscar has had that earlier on in the season. It doesn't necessarily mean it's going to stay that way until the end of the year.”

On Piastri’s recent form slump, Davidson added: “I think possibly Oscar's tightness that we've seen, the mistake in Baku, the wobble in Mexico qualifying, might be a result of him feeling the pressure of having the championship lead.

“When you want something so badly and you feel like you've got a lot to lose because you're the leader, sometimes you tighten up and you can't drive as free anymore. That's when the mistakes creep in.

“It'll be interesting to see if anything changes for him now that he's not the one with the target on his back.”