McLaren boss Andrea Stella has quipped that Max Verstappen is “good also with his tongue” regarding his admission on Red Bull’s title chances in Formula 1 in 2024.
McLaren’s double podium at the Italian Grand Prix has reduced the gap in the Constructors’ Championship to eight points as Red Bull delivered a disastrous weekend.
Red Bull’s recurring balance issues with the RB20 reached a crisis point at Monza as Max Verstappen bemoaned the car being a “monster” as he trailed home in sixth.
The Dutchman’s concern about Red Bull’s dwindling competitiveness even prompted him to argue that preserving his 62-point lead over Lando Norris is “not realistic”.
“We basically went from a very dominant car to an undrivable car in the space of, what, six to eight months,” Verstappen assessed.
“So that is very weird, for me, and yeah, [we] need to really turn the car upside down.”
But when asked to respond to Verstappen’s claim, Stella remarked to media including Motorsport Week: “Max is good also with his tongue! Not only good on track.
“Obviously he knows that the car is driving at the moment seems to provide him with some challenges.”
McLaren was unable to capitalise on Red Bull’s woes fully, though, as it failed to convert a front-row lock-out into a race win against the one-stopping Charles Leclerc.
The Woking-based squad’s prospects were compromised on the opening lap when Oscar Piastri’s bold pass on Norris allowed Leclerc’s Ferrari to split the side’s cars.
Stella disclosed post-race that the Australian’s robust move at the second chicane would be reviewed as to whether it complied with the squad’s rules of engagement.
The Italian has again indicated that team orders could be imposed to ensure that McLaren maximises its chances of beating Red Bull to both championships in 2024.
“We need to be better at capitalising [on] the opportunity Red Bull at the moment seem to offer by not being in the usual possibility of competing for podiums,” he warned.
“It’s definitely a worthwhile exercise to review in the specifics, not only of the entire race but the entire race.
“Even on the first lap, because I hope we will be in the condition to have these situations frequently in the future – it means the two McLarens will start from the front of the grid.
“But we need to make sure that this is the best for the team and the best for Lando.”
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