F1 drivers championship still in McLarens hands, says Stella

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AUSTIN, Texas - McLaren boss Andrea Stella said the Formula One drivers championship was still in his teams hands despite a dominant U.S. Grand Prix weekend for Red Bulls Max Verstappen.

McLaren have already clinched the constructors title for a second successive year and have Australian Oscar Piastri leading the drivers standings by 14 points from British teammate Lando Norris.

The Woking team last won the drivers crown with Lewis Hamilton in 2008 and have not completed a championship double since 1998.

Verstappen, chasing a fifth title in a row, is 40 points off the lead but has slashed the gap from 104 at the end of August with three wins in the last four races. There are five rounds remaining.

I think in terms of the trend today (Sunday) is a relatively reassuring race because I think without having to fight with Charles (Leclerc),which was certainly an entertaining fight itself, I think Lando had the pace to win, Stella told reporters.

Performance-wise, I think we are reassured that the pace was sufficient to fight for the victory.

STELLA SPELLS OUT THE MCLAREN MINDSET

Norris started the race on the front row, with Verstappen on pole, but Ferraris Leclerc passed him at the start on soft tyres. The Briton was then held up as he tried to get back in front, doing so twice.

Verstappen also won the Saturday sprint from pole, with Norris and Piastri colliding and failing to finish the 100km race -- a serious setback that also impacted the main race given the lack of data collected.

Stella repeated his view that Verstappen remained in the fight for the title.

For me, theres no mystery. We