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McLaren sees ‘underperforming’ Perez as key to F1 title hopes
McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes Sergio Perez has opened an opportunity for McLaren to compete for the F1 title this year. Following an upgrade at the Miami Grand Prix, McLaren and Lando Norris have emerged as strong challengers to Red Bull and Max Verstappen in both the constructors’ and drivers’ standings. Despite Norris being behind Verstappen by 84 points, McLaren is only 78 points adrift of Red Bull.
Perez’s recent struggles have put him under pressure and McLaren sees this as a chance to close the gap further. Brown mentioned that McLaren’s title chances are dependent on Perez’s performance, as Max Verstappen is expected to consistently finish at the front of the grid. McLaren has gained 37 points on Red Bull in the last six races, and if they maintain a similar pace in the remaining 12 races, they could potentially challenge for the title.
Brown remains cautious and focused on continuous improvement, following the motivational approach of team principal Andrea Stella. McLaren’s motivation lies in getting better in every session and every week, with the belief that the outcomes will take care of themselves in the long run.
