The CEO of McLaren Racing has made a bold prediction about Max Verstappen’s future, aiming to deflect the growing rumors linking the Dutch driver with a potential move to Woking.
Verstappen’s future has been the subject of intense speculation over the past couple of months. It is now widely known that the new generation of Formula 1 cars does not fully suit the Dutchman’s preferences. This situation has been compounded by the underwhelming performance of the RB22, as well as ongoing instability within Red Bull.
A potential team switch has long been closely associated with Toto Wolff’s Mercedes outfit. However, the recent announcement of Gianpiero Lambiase’s expected departure—Verstappen’s long-time race engineer—towards McLaren starting in 2028, has further fueled speculation across the paddock.
Given the strong bond between Lambiase and Verstappen, predictions have intensified suggesting that the 28-year-old could eventually follow his trusted ally to McLaren. For this reason, the latest comments regarding the four-time world champion’s future come directly from Zak Brown, who spoke to Sky Sports F1 with the apparent intention of dismissing any theory linking Verstappen to the papaya team.
Zak Brown – Verstappen linked once again with Mercedes
“Where could he go? If I were to bet, I would say Mercedes”. These were Brown’s words when discussing a possible future move for Verstappen, who remains at the center of constant speculation. This is not a new scenario, as Toto Wolff has made no secret of his interest in the former world champion for over a year. However, a variety of circumstances have so far prevented any concrete agreement from materializing.
The only real point of contact between the two parties came with the official confirmation of Verstappen’s participation in the 24 Hours of Nürburgring, where he is set to drive a Mercedes AMG GT3 EVO. Whether this decision was purely performance-driven or influenced by deeper strategic considerations remains difficult to determine.
The McLaren CEO’s prediction can also be interpreted as a provocative move aimed at distancing Verstappen from Woking. Yet, such remarks could ultimately backfire.
Zak Brown – McLaren’s current lineup is perfect
Responding to speculation about a potential Verstappen-Lambiase reunion in papaya colors, Zak Brown was quick to praise his current driver pairing. These were his words: “From a McLaren perspective, I couldn’t be happier with Lando [Norris] and Oscar [Piastri]”, Brown told Sky.
He then added: “We have long-term agreements with them and I believe they form the best driver lineup, both on and off the track. So we have absolutely no intention of replacing either of our two exceptional talents”.
As with his earlier comments about Mercedes, Brown’s objective is clearly to shift attention away from rumors linking Verstappen to McLaren. However, he also left the door slightly open, hinting at a level of interest in the Dutch driver that he has expressed on previous occasions.
This was his final statement to Sky Sports: “You know, obviously, if one of the two were to leave (referring to Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri), then yes, Max is an incredible talent, but I don’t expect that to happen (referring to a move to McLaren)”.
Max Verstappen’s future remains uncertain, both within Formula 1 and beyond. Nevertheless, Zak Brown’s remarks clearly suggest that while he is publicly distancing McLaren from the speculation, the possibility of such a move cannot be entirely ruled out.
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