Guenther Steiner names the 2025 struggler who would be a world champion if he raced for McLaren

Follow us on Google Discover

McLaren have dominated the constructors’ championship, but have managed to leave themselves vulnerable to Max Verstappen in pursuit of their first double since 1998.

Lando Norris can win the championship at the Qatar Grand Prix, but his teammate, Oscar Piastri, is still in contention.

However, Max Verstappen is the real threat to McLaren’s hopes as he sits 24 points behind Norris with two races to go.

The way that McLaren have managed this season has been questioned by many people in the paddock.

Team principal Andrea Stella insists both drivers will be given the chance to win the championship in Qatar, but that could ultimately backfire if Verstappen earns a seventh victory of the campaign in Lusail.

There will be plenty of drivers on the grid who will feel that they could have won the championship had they been in a McLaren this season.

Guenther Steiner includes Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc in that group after a frustrating campaign with the Scuderia in 2025.

READ MORE: Ferrari driver Charles Leclerc’s life outside F1 from net worth to girlfriend

Guenther Steiner thinks Charles Leclerc would be 2025 F1 champion if he drove for McLaren

Steiner was asked on The Red Flags podcast whether he thought that Leclerc would win this year’s drivers’ championship.

The former Haas team principal said: “Gas, if the team helps him. If they’ve got the same strategy, maybe not, but gas.

“He seems to be more stable than the two McLaren drivers.

“But then again, being in the position in a car which can win the championship and not having the 100% support of the team, would that knock his confidence? I don’t know that.

“So, I think he could do it. Yes.”

When asked if Norris will ever win a world championship if he doesn’t get over the line this season, Steiner continued: “I don’t know what’s coming in the future.

“If he’s in the right car, I think as a driver, he can win it. Obviously, he needs to be at the right place at the right time, because who knows what is coming.”

READ MORE: All you need to know about McLaren F1 Team from team principal to engine

Charles Leclerc questioning his Formula 1 future at Ferrari

Leclerc hasn’t been linked with signing for McLaren, but he is reportedly considering his options in the driver market.

Only Michael Schumacher and Kimi Raikkonen have completed more races for Ferrari than Leclerc, but his record is very much inferior to the Scuderia’s two most recent champions.

Leclerc has finished on the podium seven times this year, but he’s not going to come close to matching his record of finishing third in the championship last season.

This has led to frustration from the Monegasque driver and his manager, Nicolas Todt, starting to look at his options around the paddock.

Leclerc is reportedly on Aston Martin’s radar after they announced Adrian Newey will be taking over as team principal next season.

Aston Martin’s recent form has been concerning, to say the least, but there’s a lot of excitement over their prospects for the upcoming regulation changes.

Red Bull have also been linked with Leclerc, but whether he would be an ideal teammate for Verstappen or a potential replacement is another matter entirely.