P1racenews AI automatic summary:
McLaren has won two out of the opening three races of the year but already Johnny Herbert is seeing cracks in its title charge.
According to Johnny Herbert, McLaren may have jeopardized their championship chances by allowing Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to race in Japan without team orders. Piastri finished third behind Norris despite claiming he could challenge Verstappen, which Herbert supported but cautioned could have long-term consequences. Herbert noted that McLaren lost to Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, who remain strong contenders for the title. Although McLaren had a strong start to the season with victories in the first two races, Herbert emphasized that the team will need to work hard to secure championship success. Despite McLaren’s seemingly superior package, Herbert believes they will have to earn any further victories on merit.
