McLaren CEO Zak Brown commented that without Max Verstappen, the Red Bull team would likely be trailing their sister team, Racing Bulls. He made these remarks amidst ongoing speculation regarding Verstappen`s future.
Reports suggest Verstappen is open to a potential move, and discussions are reportedly increasing in intensity leading up to this weekend`s British Grand Prix.
At the recent Austrian Grand Prix, Mercedes driver George Russell mentioned his contract extension was pending due to `ongoing conversations`, which team principal Toto Wolff confirmed were happening privately.
Speaking at a McLaren event in London before Silverstone, Brown stated, “I believe where there`s smoke, there`s fire. If everyone was settled in their seats, they`d be saying so.”
He added that the current discussions and lack of confirmation indicate that conversations are indeed happening. Brown reiterated a previous statement that he wouldn`t be surprised to see Max Verstappen driving for Mercedes.
Verstappen, currently 61 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri, has outperformed his teammates Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda this season, maintaining an unbeaten record against them.
While Verstappen has secured two pole positions and two wins, his teammates combined have only managed three points finishes. Tsunoda has also faced three consecutive Q1 eliminations recently.
Since rejoining Racing Bulls, Lawson appears more at ease with the car, and both he and Isack Hadjar have shown pace exceeding Red Bull`s Tsunoda.
Brown reiterated his view, saying, “Without Verstappen, Red Bull would be behind Racing Bulls. While they have a good car and team, I believe Max is currently carrying their performance.”
The McLaren CEO also hinted that there could be further developments regarding the possibility of Verstappen joining Mercedes, advising observers to “stay tuned.”
Lando Norris, who has often competed closely with Verstappen recently, stated that the Dutch driver will ultimately “decide what he thinks is best” for his future.
Norris added that he isn`t concerned about Verstappen`s destination. “I respect Max as a competitor,” he said. “He`s tough, but I enjoy our races.”
Horner: Verstappen Speculation is `A Lot of Noise`
Verstappen`s current contract with Red Bull, signed in 2022, runs until 2028, but he has been the subject of links to Mercedes since last year.
Verstappen, who recently won his latest drivers` title, faced speculation about his Red Bull future earlier this year due to off-track issues within the team, such as a disagreement involving his father, Jos Verstappen, and team principal Christian Horner.
The rumors resurfaced earlier this year, reportedly fueled by Red Bull`s perceived dip in performance relative to McLaren and the prospect of Verstappen potentially not being able to challenge for a record-tying fifth consecutive title.
Red Bull boss Christian Horner dismissed the speculation as “a lot of noise.” He commented that Max finds it irritating and stated that Red Bull is confident in their contract with Verstappen, which runs until 2028.
Horner added that any such reports are purely speculative and the team largely ignores them.
Regarding George Russell`s situation, Horner remarked that he could understand why Russell might be frustrated about his delayed contract, but noted that it`s a matter between Russell and Mercedes.
Horner concluded by saying that the situation with Max is clear to both the team and the driver, and that contract details remain confidential.
British Grand Prix Schedule
Thursday July 3
2:00 PM: Drivers’ Press Conference
6:00 PM: The F1 Show Special
Friday July 4
8:45 AM: F3 Practice
9:55 AM: F2 Practice
12:00 PM: British GP Practice One (session starts at 12:30 PM)
1:55 PM: F3 Qualifying
2:50 PM: F2 Qualifying
3:35 PM: British GP Practice Two (session starts at 4:00 PM)
5:15 PM: The F1 Show
Saturday July 5
9:10 AM: F3 Sprint
11:15 AM: British GP Practice Three (session starts at 11:30 AM)
1:10 PM: F2 Sprint
2:15 PM: British GP Qualifying build-up
3:00 PM: BRITISH GP QUALIFYING
4:55 PM: F4 Race 1
5:40 PM: Ted’s Qualifying Notebook
Sunday July 6
8:15 AM: F4 Race 2
9:25 AM: F3 Feature Race
11:00 AM: F2 Feature Race
1:30 PM: Grand Prix Sunday: British GP build-up
3:00 PM: THE BRITISH GRAND PRIX
5:00 PM: Chequered Flag: British GP reaction
6:00 PM: Ted’s Notebook
