Last Updated on April 7 2025, 10:07 pm
Pit-stop decisions spark controversy as Marko criticises McLaren’s strategy in Japan – The 2025 Japanese Formula One Grand Prix at Suzuka has left fans and paddock insiders alike debating one key question: could McLaren have pulled off an upset victory with a different strategic decision?
The team’s decision to pit Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri on consecutive laps allowed Max Verstappen to maintain control at the front and drive what Red Bull’s Helmut Marko described as a “perfect race”. As Verstappen celebrated his first win of the season, Marko took the opportunity to throw some subtle shade at McLaren’s tactical approach.
McLaren’s pit stops under scrutiny
One of the hottest talking points to emerge from Suzuka was McLaren’s decision to bring in Piastri on lap 21 and Norris on lap 22. By stacking the stops and using the same hard tyre strategy for both drivers, the team aimed for maximum pace. But while this one-size-fits-all approach was efficient, it eliminated any chance of disrupting Verstappen’s rhythm or applying pressure with a different strategy.
On the surface, the decision seemed sound. According to team principal Andrea Stella, there was no evident gain to be made by delaying either driver’s pit stop or attempting a divergent plan. “We saw that it wouldn’t have been any faster if we had left a driver out longer,” explained Stella after the race. “The undercut was clearly not an option because the hard tyre was just faster. So the sooner we made the change, the better for our overall race time.
Despite Stella’s clarity on the matter, fans and analysts have continued to question whether McLaren were too conservative in their approach. With both their drivers showing strong pace throughout the weekend, and with Piastri seemingly capable of challenging Verstappen’s lead, many wonder if a split strategy might have put more pressure on Red Bull.
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Marko offers a jab cloaked in praise
From the Red Bull pit wall, Helmut Marko had the luxury of watching the action unfold with little concern. Verstappen’s commanding drive meant that Red Bull never had to deviate from their own race plan. Speaking to De Telegraaf after the race, Marko couldn’t resist a little dig at McLaren’s caution.
“The strategy they choose is their decision,” he said diplomatically at first. But then came the zinger: “It looked like Piastri was the faster one. Would he have overtaken Max in the race? That’s a different question on this track. But maybe this is just another version of the Papaya Rules.
The reference to “Papaya Rules” was a cheeky reference to McLaren’s signature orange branding and a subtle dig at their perceived reluctance to break away from traditional race strategies. For Marko, McLaren’s failure to at least try something different was an open invitation to criticism – especially when Red Bull’s main man was firing on all cylinders.
Verstappen’s flawless drive seals Suzuka triumph
While McLaren’s pit call sparked debate, there was no questioning the brilliance of Verstappen’s performance. From lights out to the chequered flag, the Dutchman delivered a relentless string of fast laps that left no room for error or attack. Even McLaren’s most optimistic projections would have failed to account for Verstappen’s consistency at the limit.
“Max did 53 laps at the limit today – 53 qualifying laps. Without a single mistake. Unbelievable!” Marko said, full of praise for his star driver.
Verstappen’s victory at Suzuka marked his first win of the 2025 season, silencing murmurs of a sluggish start and reasserting Red Bull’s authority in the championship fight.
It was also a reassuring result for the Red Bull camp, especially in the wake of fierce competition from both Ferrari and McLaren. Suzuka was seen as a track where tyre degradation and strategic acumen would play a pivotal role, but Verstappen’s iron grip on the race highlighted the importance of driver performance – even in the era of data-driven decision-making.
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McLaren defend their decision making
Despite the outside noise, McLaren stood firm in their defence of their decision. Stella reiterated that the decision to pit both drivers early was based solely on tyre performance data and simulations, which proved accurate throughout the race weekend.
“The earlier the change, the better – that was the calculation,” he insisted. McLaren had found that the harder compound was significantly more effective, particularly in maintaining lap time consistency over a long stint. In those circumstances, it was logical to get both cars onto the harder rubber as soon as possible, even if it meant sacrificing strategic flexibility.
But with both Norris and Piastri effectively shadowing Verstappen without ever seriously threatening him, the question remains: was logic alone enough to win a Grand Prix? Or does race-day brilliance sometimes require a gamble?
Missed opportunities
Strategically, there were certainly options McLaren could have explored. One idea floated after the race was to keep Piastri out longer in the second stint, possibly switching to a soft tyre finish or even extending Verstappen’s final pit window. Another would have been to pit Norris earlier, forcing Red Bull to react, while allowing Piastri to build up a differential later in the race.
Of course, such gambits are risky – especially at a track like Suzuka, where overtaking is notoriously difficult and track position remains king. But with both drivers running strongly and Verstappen not looking invincible early on, some in the paddock argue that a bold move could have disrupted Red Bull’s rhythm.
Whether such a risk would have borne fruit is impossible to say. Verstappen’s dominance on Sunday may have nullified any attempt to disrupt him. But in the high-stakes world of Formula One, what-ifs tend to last far longer than statistics.
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For Red Bull, the Japanese Grand Prix was a return to form and a reaffirmation of the team’s belief in Verstappen’s ability to perform under pressure. It also allowed Marko a moment to enjoy both the performance and the missed opportunities of a rival team still chasing the top step.
For McLaren, however, Suzuka leaves them with a bittersweet feeling. The pace was there. The car performed well. Both drivers looked competitive. But victory remained just out of reach, locked behind a combination of Verstappen’s brilliance and their own unwillingness to deviate from the plan.
As the paddock packs up for the next round, McLaren will undoubtedly be reflecting on more than just tyre compounds and pit stop timing. The central question they’ll be asking is whether, in F1’s razor-thin margins, playing it safe is ever really enough to beat the best
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Instead, what followed at Suzuka was another painful reminder of how far the Scuderia still lags behind its rivals. To add insult to injury, Hamilton was given a stinging 5.5 out of 10 rating by Italy’s most respected sports daily, La Gazzetta dello Sport, who saw little to celebrate in the Briton’s lonely seventh place finish – a race in which he watched his former team, Mercedes, surge ahead with renewed vigour…READ MORE ON THIS STORY
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
