McLaren boss takes subtle dig at Sergio Perez over F1 Championship battle: "We have more cars that can take points"

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella took a subtle dig at Red Bull Racing driver Sergio Perez amid the championship battle between the two teams. Stella, with his latest statement, undermined the Austrian team's point-scoring ability, implying Perez's constant underwhelming performances are hurting Red Bull Racing.

Max Verstappen has kept Red Bull Racing in front in the championship race amid McLaren's recent resurgence. The Dutchman has registered all of Red Bull's seven F1 victories this season and claimed 10 out of the team's 14 podiums.

Whereas, Sergio Perez has largely struggled, as he has only managed three P2s in 16 races as his best results. In terms of championship points, Perez has amassed less than half of Verstappen's tally.

Stella pointed out how this puts McLaren in an advantageous position over Red Bull in the constructors' championship battle:

“We have more cars that can take points away from Red Bull," Stella said. "So I think this is better news for us, and we need to make sure that we maximize the potential that is available in the car."

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have been firing on all cylinders as the Papayas driver duo has claimed three victories and 14 podiums in 16 races. Norris is pushing Verstappen in the drivers' championship, while Piastri is doing his part to help the British team dethrone Red Bull in the constructors' battle.

The Brit has amassed 241 points, compared to his teammate Piastri's 197 points. Whereas, Max Verstappen has 303 points on his tally compared to Perez's 143. This shows how strong McLaren has been this season with its two drivers.

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Sergio Perez opens up amid criticism, claims Verstappen in the same boat as him

Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen of Oracle Red Bull Racing. Source: Getty Images

Following the conclusion of the 2024 Italian Grand Prix in Monza, Sergio Perez addressed the issues at Red Bull. In the post-race interview, the Mexican driver claimed that Verstappen is suffering from a similar issue with the RB20, something he has been dealing with in the last few races.

“I really feel like I’m in the same boat as I’ve been in for the last eight, ten races," Perez said. "But now, all of a sudden, Max has come to similar issues. So, yeah a little bit of a confusion there. But yeah, it’s clearly in the data where the problem is."

Red Bull has had a mighty fall from grace as the Milton-Keynes-based team has been winless in the last six races, its worst run since the beginning of the 2022 regulations. As things stand, McLaren with 438 points, is eight points away from Red Bull (446 points) in the constructors' standings.