Brown defends McLaren stance as Verstappen looms

Sep.30 (GMM) Zak Brown insists McLaren will continue to back both of its drivers equally, despite warnings that refusing to prioritise Oscar Piastri could open the door for Max Verstappen to snatch the 2025 title.

With Singapore looming this weekend, analysts are questioning whether McLaren’s obsession with driver equality risks throwing away the championship. Former F1 engineer Kees van de Grint told Viaplay that Piastri’s Baku crash was “unworthy of a championship contender”.

He also warned: “They can’t be as relaxed on the pitwall as they were in Monza. Verstappen is a threat. It’s not so easy if (Lando) Norris wins and Piastri finishes third, but they really now have to decide who will be the leader.

“It could still be very exciting.”

Van de Grint added of Verstappen: “As long as it’s mathematically possible, it’s always possible with Max. This next race is decisive. If Verstappen wins there, McLaren will need some sleeping pills for the nighttime.”

But McLaren Racing CEO Brown told Bloomberg he sees no reason to change course. “I think you’ve got to pay attention to Max,” he admitted. “We’ve got to keep doing what we’re doing.

“The constructors’ is looking very good, and what we want is our two drivers to fight for the championship – just give them equal opportunity, equal equipment. May the best man win.”

Brown added that while incidents such as Norris’ recent mechanical issues and unpredictable safety cars can disrupt the balance, his goal is still “to just set Lando and Oscar up to be competing for the championship down to Abu Dhabi.”

For his part, Piastri says he is ready to handle the rising tension after his rough weekend in Baku. “The intensity will naturally increase as we approach the end of the year, and I’m ready for that,” he said.

“I’ve been in this situation before in other championships. Ultimately it’s going to be about how I handle the situation and how I deal with the events that are coming up,” added the Australian.

“Having a strong team and a good group of people around you is very important, and Mark (Webber) is certainly one of those people.”

Meanwhile, following the sale of a further 30 percent of McLaren Racing, Bahraini sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat and CYVN Holdings now jointly own 100 percent of the F1 team.

Brown said the deal values McLaren Racing at just over $4 billion. “We’re completely done,” he told Bloomberg. “The sport is really hot right now – every key figure, every demand for teams demonstrates that.”

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