Ralf Schumacher has seen Andrea Stella look ‘tense’ due to McLaren issue he does not ‘understand’

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Ralf Schumacher has noticed McLaren team principal Andrea Stella looking ‘tense’ in the F1 paddock due to an issue with the MCL39 that he doesn’t seem to understand.

Despite securing the constructors’ championship at the Singapore Grand Prix, McLaren are now three races without a win, marking their longest drought since the end of the 2024 F1 season.

The British constructor has been in dominant form throughout the season, winning 12 out of the 18 Grands Prix in 2025 thus far.

The narrative of the season has seen McLaren’s star duo of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris battle it out at the top of the F1 standings.

Piastri is currently in charge of the drivers’ championship, but the Australian’s lead has become fragile in recent races, with Max Verstappen posing a threat to the McLarens as he eyes a potential fifth consecutive title.

READ MORE: Ted Kravitz says the ‘old McLaren’ would never have done what Zak Brown has done to Oscar Piastri

Ralf Schumacher has seen Andrea Stella look ‘tense’ over McLaren’s disappearing dominance

The Dutchman has made up a lot of ground on the once 104-point deficit he was looking at after the conclusion of his home race in August.

After two dominant displays at Monza and Baku that saw him win two back-to-back races for the first time this season, as well as fending off Norris’ attacks in Singapore, Verstappen now finds himself 63 points off the lead at a time when McLaren’s dominance is seemingly fading.

Speaking on a recent episode of the Backstage Boxengasse podcast, former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher noted the change in demeanour that he has seen from Andrea Stella since the last time a McLaren driver stood on the top step of a podium.

In response to McLaren’s chances at the upcoming United States Grand Prix, Schumacher said, “Somehow, I have a feeling that the two of them won’t make it out of the first corner.

“And then, of course, it will become a problem and Max Verstappen will win there because the next race is in Texas, which suits Red Bull quite well, and it could be difficult again for McLaren, who, incidentally, are now generally looking tense.

“Anyone who knows Andrea Stella knows this, because their dominance seems to have suddenly disappeared, and that’s something they don’t understand at all and can’t afford at the end of the season.”

Things have become increasingly tense within the Woking-based F1 team’s camp due to the fact that the title fight between their two drivers has heated up in recent races.

Piastri and Norris are now allowed to take the ‘gloves off’ whilst racing each other, according to McLaren staff, as the direction of the title is expected to reach a boiling point in the final few rounds of the season.

READ MORE: Jolyon Palmer tells McLaren what they absolutely ‘have to’ do after Lando Norris hit Oscar Piastri in Singapore

Red Bull have been continuing to upgrade Max Verstappen’s car in 2025 F1 title push

One of the reasons why McLaren’s dominance has been withering is down to the fact that Red Bull are continuing to upgrade Max Verstappen’s RB21.

The four-time world champion still has half a chance of adding to his championship tally.

However, they may be shooting themselves in the foot with the move, as it is sure to have a detrimental effect on their 2026 F1 challenger.

A theory in the paddock is that Red Bull are already aware that the performance of their F1 car for the upcoming season will be off the pace, so they are doing everything in their power to finish the current campaign off on the highest note possible to please their star driver.

Nonetheless, Verstappen will need a string of results to go in his favour.

Simply winning every race won’t be enough; he’ll also need the McLaren drivers to fail in their attempts to add more points to their championship tallies in the process.