When even the international press can’t contain their disbelief at your strategic incompetence, you know you’ve properly cocked things up. McLaren’s safety car brainfart in Qatar has journalists from London to Milan falling over themselves to describe just how spectacularly Woking snatched defeat from the jaws of victory. The consensus? Max Verstappen is somehow the favourite for Abu Dhabi despite being the underdog, and it’s entirely McLaren’s fault.
The Guardian Sees the Unthinkable Become Reality
The British broadsheet couldn’t hide its astonishment at Verstappen’s resurrection. After trailing Piastri by 104 points following Zandvoort, the Dutchman has clawed his way back into genuine contention thanks entirely to McLaren’s “gross strategic error” of leaving both cars out during the safety car.
The Guardian described it as “virtually unthinkable” that we’d reach Abu Dhabi with three drivers separated by just twelve points. Yet here we are, watching what they call Verstappen’s “greatest achievement ever” if he pulls this off. They’re not wrong, are they? Winning a title after being written off completely would be rather special.
“Verstappen believed he had long since been ‘written off’ in his attempt to defend his title. Yet the Dutchman, although he had fallen behind, was far from finished.” – The Guardian
The paper reserves particular scorn for McLaren’s insistence on treating both drivers equally, suggesting this “fairness obsession” has actually damaged both Norris and Piastri whilst letting Verstappen through the back door. When your commitment to sporting integrity becomes a strategic liability, perhaps it’s time to rethink things?
Italian Press Crowns Verstappen “The Terminator”
La Gazzetta dello Sport went full Hollywood with their assessment, awarding Verstappen a 9 out of 10 whilst comparing him to Arnold Schwarzenegger’s relentless killing machine. Charming imagery, but not entirely inaccurate.
“A Terminator. Give him a goal, a machine to win with, and he will not betray you. And he does it even without the best material.” – La Gazzetta dello Sport
The Italian daily credited both Verstappen’s ruthlessness and Red Bull’s pit wall nous for anticipating the safety car opportunity. Whilst McLaren dithered and second-guessed themselves, Red Bull acted decisively. Funny how that works, isn’t it?
When Madrid Celebrates a Williams Podium
Spanish outlet Marca devoted considerable space to Carlos Sainz’s surprise podium, calling it a “remontada” for the former Ferrari driver who’s been rebuilding his reputation at Williams. They particularly enjoyed pointing out that British media critics must now “swallow their words” after doubting Sainz earlier this season.
The paper described Norris as the “great loser” of Qatar, having squandered his first championship opportunity through a combination of McLaren’s pit wall incompetence and his own agricultural moment in the gravel. Not exactly the coronation anyone expected, was it?
British Tabloids Pile On McLaren’s Misery
The Telegraph delivered the most damning verdict, stating bluntly that McLaren “failed to build a sufficient lead on Verstappen to allow their drivers to pit and stay ahead.” Which is diplomatic language for “they completely ballsed it up.”
The Daily Star called it an absolute “shocker,” highlighting the crucial early error that forced both McLarens to fight for position throughout the entire race. When you’ve got both cars leading comfortably and somehow end up third and fourth, that takes genuine tactical genius in reverse.
The Daily Mail focused on Verstappen’s “indomitable” nature, suggesting his rivals tried desperately to eliminate “Mad Max” from title contention but succeeded only in keeping him firmly in the hunt. The paper painted a picture of McLaren’s strategic disaster as the defining moment of the championship battle.
The Sun Anoints Verstappen as Favourite
Perhaps most damning of all, The Sun declared Verstappen the mental favourite heading into Abu Dhabi, suggesting both McLaren drivers will struggle to shake off thoughts of failure after dominating most of the season only to hand victory to their rival on a silver platter.
The tabloid’s assessment rings true. Who looks stronger right now? The driver who’s won against the odds and believes he can pull off a miracle? Or the two teammates who’ve just watched their team throw away a commanding position through sheer incompetence?
Dutch Media Sees Christmas Come Early
De Telegraaf slapped Verstappen on the front page with the headline “One More Time, Max!” whilst acknowledging that Qatar was essentially a gift. Even Red Bull couldn’t have anticipated McLaren would “allow themselves to be so fooled” by the safety car situation.
The Dutch paper’s assessment mirrors the international consensus: this wasn’t so much Verstappen winning through brilliance as McLaren losing through stupidity. But a win is a win, and the championship doesn’t award extra points for style.
The Uncomfortable Truth for Woking
Every major publication agrees: McLaren had this championship locked up. They’ve dominated performance for months. They’ve had the quickest car. They’ve had two drivers capable of winning races. And yet somehow they’ve turned a procession into a three-way nail-biter decided in the final round.
The Guardian called it a “self-inflicted wound.” Marca described it as an “unthinkable miscalculation.” The Telegraph termed it a “strategic blunder.” But perhaps the most cutting assessment came from La Gazzetta dello Sport’s simple observation: you can give Verstappen an inferior car, but if you give him an opportunity, he won’t waste it.
McLaren gave him the opportunity in Qatar. Now the entire paddock gets to watch whether that mistake costs them everything in Abu Dhabi. The international press certainly knows where they’re placing their bets.
