How McLaren can secure an overdue Constructors’ title in Singapore
- Maham Mir
- 13 hours ago
- 4 min read
Written by Maham Mir, Edited by Meghana Sree
McLaren missed their first chance to seal the Constructors’ title in Baku. Here’s how they can make amends under the lights in Singapore.
McLaren’s performance in 2025 has been nothing short of dominating. With 12 victories, including seven 1-2 finishes, McLaren have returned to the top of the WCC standings in style and with 623 points, they are miles ahead of closest competitors Mercedes (290) and Ferrari (286).
If the papaya team scores 13 points this weekend, they will be able to seal their victory, regardless of other teams’ results. In the extremely rare case that McLaren are unable to score at least 13 points, the defending champions can still secure the title provided Mercedes and Ferrari do not score 31 or 35 more points respectively.
Effectively, a podium by either Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri, who will both be seeking to redeem themselves after disappointing outings in Baku, will see the top step of the podium occupied by McLaren for a consecutive season.
For McLaren this season, it’s always been a matter of when not if they’ll secure the Constructors’ crown – and Singapore is their sure-fire chance.
McLaren’s season as a whole
Consistency has been the undertone to McLaren’s 2025 season. Unlike the other top teams such as Mercedes and Red Bull who have been plagued with one driver underperforming, McLaren have the services of two top drivers who deliver week-in and week-out.
Having broken some long-standing team records such as the most podiums achieved in the course of a single season (25), Norris and Piastri have failed to reach the top three on only two occasions so far this season – Canada and Azerbaijan.
Standout stars: Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
Although recent performances by the reigning world champion changed the conversation, it has been a foregone conclusion that the World Drivers’ Championship will belong to one of the two McLaren drivers in 2025.
With their current position as first and second in the standings, where they have remained since the opening race in Australia, their gap on their competitors has remained relatively untouchable.
Piastri, who took the lead of the championship in Saudi Arabia, has been calm and collected at the top of the standings since. Although a rare mistake from the championship leader in Baku saw him unable to complete even the first lap, he has not faltered at the top. However, he has also been unable to run away in the championship standings from his teammate.
Norris, on the other hand, has had a less straightforward season so far. After getting the better of Piastri at his home race in Australia, he’s had incredible highs as well as unfortunate lows this season as well. Although he has trailed after Piastri in the standings since Saudi Arabia, dominating victories at Monaco and Silverstone are only some examples of what Norris is capable of on a good weekend.
While McLaren’s hunt for the Constructor’s championship may be over in Singapore, the fight for the Driver’s championship can be expected to go on longer – likely until the final lap in Abu Dhabi.
Elsewhere on the grid
Despite Max Verstappen’s efforts over the last few rounds, the currently fourth placed Red Bull are out of contention to bid for the title this season.
After issues with their second seat which saw an early driver swap between Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda, it was unlikely that they would have been challenging for the title.
For Mercedes and Ferrari, it would take an enormous change in fortune to stop McLaren from winning the title this weekend. Based on the performance of the teams in recent races, this is unlikely to happen.
For Mercedes, outscoring McLaren by 31 points would be the only way to push the fight another round to Austin. In order to do so, both George Russell and Kimi Antonelli would have to be on the podium. While such a showing would help with their ongoing contract negotiations with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, it has only occurred once this season in Canada where Mercedes took their only race win so far.
For Ferrari, the situation is slightly more dire as they would have to outscore McLaren by 35 points. For a team that has yet to take a victory this season, except for Lewis Hamilton’s sprint race win in Shanghai, it is a tall order they are unlikely to deliver.
McLaren, having started these regulations towards the back of the grid, have set their competitors high standards to try and reach. In 2025 especially, those standards have been near impossible to match.
Under the lights
Singapore, F1’s original night race, is a track that has been known to dazzle and delight, especially in recent years. In 2024, Singapore was where Norris showed what McLaren are capable of after winning the race 20 seconds ahead of his closest competitor.
In 2025, McLaren will be hoping for a repeat show of dominance for their crowning moment to clinch a title under fireworks and floodlights.
Having been watched by everyone in the paddock since the lights went out in Australia, McLaren have an opportunity to win it all under the lights in Singapore to prove one thing – in 2025, they have set the pace and they have done so in style.
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