Five F1 Teams Equipped To Compete For Championships According To McLaren Team Principal

Wednesday, 10 January 2024 at 07:00

Looking at the 2023 season's results, Andrea Stella noted any of the top five teams could win the Championship this year.

While Red Bull finished the season with 21 wins, every single one of the four teams behind them managed to challenge them at some point in the season.

Andrea Stella recently noted McLaren has all the "ingredients" needed to compete for the title and will make great progress. But what will be important is a comparison to the progress that other teams will make. Stella told Speedcafe on the KTM Summer Grill:

"We know how ambitious Mercedes are, they say they're going to change their car entirely. Certainly Ferrari are not happy to be third."

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Both Ferrari and Mercedes indeed promised significant changes to their cars going into the 2024 season. The team principal believes there are multiple teams equipped with everything they need to win the championship.

"Formula 1 nowadays is so competitive. It was always a couple of cars in the mix, but now we have four teams that, at the start of the season, are equipped to win world championships."

The team principal initially said four teams but then realized Aston Martin was also in the mix. Fernando Alonso scored a podium two races before the end of the season showing that his team has recovered towards the end as well.

"Not to forget obviously that Aston Martin, as well, they are certainly very equipped and capable from a technical, operational point of view."

The main reason for all the teams being so closely matched is the budget cap introduced in 2021. No team can outspend others which keeps the whole grid closer together than ever before. Stella belives that's great for F1.

"So it's busy at the front of the grid. We hope to be in the trajectory that we are in 2023. Ultimately, I think that's great for Formula 1."

Even though all teams have been super close to each other, Red Bull has still won every single but one race in 2023 and the McLaren team principal hopes to change it with his drivers this year.

"That's great for the fans that they can see such a competitive sport. And I hope that in 2024 as well there will be more variety in winning races, and hopefully this variety will include McLaren, Lando, and Oscar."