McLaren CEO Zak Brown has dismissed the notion that Max Verstappen is a legitimate threat to his team's F1 title chances. The Dutch driver, who starts sixth on the grid for Saturday's Sprint, remains 24 points behind championship leader Lando Norris with just two rounds remaining.
Brown likened Verstappen to a "horror movie" character, suggesting that despite being an immense talent, he cannot be taken seriously as a threat to McLaren's title bid. The McLaren chief executive acknowledged that Verstappen is a formidable driver, but emphasized the importance of focusing on their own performance and ignoring his antics.
"We wouldn't be talking about a championship if we couldn't deliver," Brown stated. "We have to focus on getting on the front row, finishing first and second, and then we don't have to worry about him."
Brown's comments were made during the Qatar Grand Prix build-up, with Verstappen telling PA he would have easily won the Drivers' Championship had he been driving McLaren's 2025 car. However, Brown remains steadfast in his assessment that McLaren must ignore Verstappen and focus on their own performance.
The Sprint is expected to be a crucial event for both Norris and Piastri, with Verstappen struggling with handling issues throughout Friday practice. Despite this, the Red Bull driver will still start sixth on the grid, highlighting the competitive nature of the Qatar Grand Prix.
With just two rounds remaining in the F1 season, McLaren and their championship rivals must be at the top of their game to claim the title. Brown's dismissal of Verstappen as a threat suggests that McLaren are confident in their ability to secure the championship, but the reality is far more complicated than that.
As the Qatar Grand Prix Sprint approaches, teams will be eager to see how their strategies pay off and whether they can overcome the challenges posed by Verstappen. The F1 title fight is shaping up to be a thrilling one, with multiple drivers capable of claiming the championship in the final two rounds.
Brown likened Verstappen to a "horror movie" character, suggesting that despite being an immense talent, he cannot be taken seriously as a threat to McLaren's title bid. The McLaren chief executive acknowledged that Verstappen is a formidable driver, but emphasized the importance of focusing on their own performance and ignoring his antics.
"We wouldn't be talking about a championship if we couldn't deliver," Brown stated. "We have to focus on getting on the front row, finishing first and second, and then we don't have to worry about him."
Brown's comments were made during the Qatar Grand Prix build-up, with Verstappen telling PA he would have easily won the Drivers' Championship had he been driving McLaren's 2025 car. However, Brown remains steadfast in his assessment that McLaren must ignore Verstappen and focus on their own performance.
The Sprint is expected to be a crucial event for both Norris and Piastri, with Verstappen struggling with handling issues throughout Friday practice. Despite this, the Red Bull driver will still start sixth on the grid, highlighting the competitive nature of the Qatar Grand Prix.
With just two rounds remaining in the F1 season, McLaren and their championship rivals must be at the top of their game to claim the title. Brown's dismissal of Verstappen as a threat suggests that McLaren are confident in their ability to secure the championship, but the reality is far more complicated than that.
As the Qatar Grand Prix Sprint approaches, teams will be eager to see how their strategies pay off and whether they can overcome the challenges posed by Verstappen. The F1 title fight is shaping up to be a thrilling one, with multiple drivers capable of claiming the championship in the final two rounds.
McLaren is acting like they're untouchable and it's just not true... Verstappen might not have the car but he's got the skill and determination to take down Lando Norris. It's all about how focused McLaren can stay on their game if they want to win that title 
. Brown's attitude is just dismissive and I don't trust him at all, like, what even is this "horror movie" comment? 
Verstappen might not have the car but he's got the hunger and it's driving him crazy 
. McLaren needs to step up their game if they want to win, otherwise, it's gonna be a thrilling finale with multiple drivers in the mix 
you know what's crazy? people think focus on your own stuff is a bad thing. like brown's saying we need to ignore max's antics and just deliver our own performance... but that's kinda the point! if mclaren can just keep putting out solid results, they don't have to worry about verstappen doing his best to overtake them 
meanwhile, verstappen needs to show up with more than just talk and raw talent. it's a reminder that in life, you can't control everyone else's actions... all you can do is focus on your own path and put in the work 
It's not like McLaren is out of the championship picture yet.
And his comment about how he would've won the championship with McLaren's car is definitely not something to be taken lightly... it shows just how good he is! 
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- Franklin D. Roosevelt
and honestly, it's hard not to feel a little frustrated when teams like mclaren dismiss someone as talented as verstappen as "just" a rival 
... it's gonna be interesting to see how this all plays out in qatar and whether mclaren can really pull off the title