F1 | Is McLaren favoring Lando Norris? Max Verstappen’s reaction surprises everyone. Max Verstappen reacted to rumors claiming McLaren favors Lando Norris over Oscar Piastri.

Max Verstappen was asked to comment on the internal situation at McLaren between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and his answer quickly went viral among Formula 1 fans. The battle for the World Drivers’ Championship currently seems to be between the two McLaren drivers, yet both still need to keep an eye on Verstappen. If a collision between Norris and Piastri were to occur, the Dutchman could instantly become a serious threat for the papaya duo. In recent days, rumors have surfaced suggesting that McLaren might be favoring the British driver, and Max Verstappen did not shy away from addressing the matter.

The upcoming race weekend in Austin will be crucial for Red Bull as it seeks to better understand its potential in the final stretch of the championship. If the RB21 proves competitive on the American circuit, the team could fight for victories in several of the remaining rounds up to Abu Dhabi. While the drivers’ championship title is practically out of reach, Red Bull still has plenty of reasons to chase strong performances before the season concludes.

Verstappen’s provocative response

During the drivers’ press conference, a journalist asked Max Verstappen what he thought about the alleged preferential treatment that McLaren might be giving to Lando Norris. When questioned about whether the British driver was being favored by his team, the reigning World Champion responded with a dose of irony: “Absolutely, yes — I heard something about that.” Before answering, Max Verstappen glanced over at Lewis Hamilton and burst into laughter, clearly showing what he thought of that kind of speculation.

Switching to a more serious tone, Max Verstappen later added: “I don’t care, because it has nothing to do with me. Whatever they decide within the team, however they operate, that’s up to them. I mean, they’re doing what they think is right — and they’re doing a great job. They’re so fast, and what they’ve achieved in recent years is really impressive.”

The Dutch driver also pointed out that even if such favoritism existed, it wouldn’t necessarily make a difference for him: “Does it help me? I don’t know. For me, the important thing is that when we get to the track, we maximize our potential. As long as we can do that, everything is under control. Of course, if you look at the whole season, we didn’t have the best start. But I go into every race weekend trying to get the most out of it, to win races — and that’s the only thing we can do until the end of the year.”