McLaren hunt title... then points record

BY DANIEL MOXON ANDREA STELLA knows McLaren must be close to perfect if they are to break Red Bull's "remarkable" Formula 1 points record.

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Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have won 12 of 16 Grands Prix held so far this year and look likely to seal the constructors' title in Baku.

Their lead over second-placed Ferrari stands at 337 points and outscoring the Scuderia by just nine tomorrow will get the job done as long as Mercedes don't score 12 points more than them.

Attention will then turn to the all-time points record held by Red Bull, who managed 860 during their remarkable 2023 campaign.

McLaren have 617 on the board and, with 389 more available this year, could eclipse their rivals' feat.

"The record that they set as a benchmark is just incredible, remarkable," said team principal Stella yesterday.

"For us, it is a reference but it is not what we think about.