McLaren Boss Andrea Stella Warns Of Intense Pressure As F1 Season Reaches Finale

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella says the team are not naive about the pressure they will face across the final three weekends of the Formula One season.

While McLaren wrapped up their 10th constructors' championship last month, both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri remain in contention for a maiden drivers' crown.

Norris leads the way ahead of this week's Las Vegas Grand Prix, boasting a 24-point advantage over his team-mate after wins in Sao Paulo and Mexico City.

But four-time defending champion Max Verstappen is lurking in third, 25 points behind Piastri. 

The Dutchman seemed to have momentum on his side when he reeled off three wins in four races between the Italian Grand Prix and the United States Grand Prix, but he has finished third in each of the last two races.

With the Qatar Grand Prix and the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to come after this week's race, Stella knows everyone at McLaren must hold their nerve. 

"We are not naive. We know that the pressure is high," he told Sky Sports.

"We know that the stakes are high, but we will continue leaning on our framework, on our principles, on the good conversations.

"So far, what I've seen is that Lando and Oscar have always been very supportive. Oscar talked very clearly about the respect – the mutual respect, the mutual support that is happening between himself and the team, and likewise is happening with Lando.

"So, we are in a strong position. We are not naive, but we will work very hard to make sure that this position stays until the end of the championship."

Norris and Piastri have clashed at various points in the campaign, most recently when both drivers were forced to retire from the sprint race in the United States following a collision.

Norris was also at fault for making contact with Piastri's wheels at the previous race in Singapore, but Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff feels their title battle has – for the most part – been handled well.

"How McLaren have handled it is very good, letting them race. I don't see a situation where they take each other out. I think just let them race, make no contact," he said.

"The gap that Lando has now is very, very solid, but he can't afford a DNF either because then it swings in the other direction.

"Obviously, from a spectators' standpoint, you would want to see it go to the last race on equal points or similar points. But Lando was impressive in the last two races, how he held the nerves and how he scored the points."