McLaren CEO Zak Brown has voiced his frustration with Max Verstappen’s aggressive driving style after yet another incident-packed race at the Mexican Grand Prix. The reigning champion was handed two 10-second penalties for forcing McLaren’s Lando Norris off track, ultimately dropping him to sixth place. Brown didn’t mince words, calling Verstappen’s tactics “ridiculous” and suggesting that the penalties were still too lenient.
“Probably not enough! It’s getting a bit ridiculous,” Brown remarked, hinting that Verstappen’s approach has been a season-long issue. However, Brown welcomed the FIA’s intervention, applauding the stewards for finally taking action. “Enough’s enough. Let’s just have some good clean racing moving forward,” he urged.
Beyond the penalties, Brown took a moment to congratulate Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz on his stellar victory, which helped Ferrari leapfrog Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship standings. With McLaren still leading, but now only 29 points ahead of Ferrari, Brown acknowledged the intensifying championship battle. “It’s a lot tighter than I’d like it to be, but it’s great for Formula One,” he admitted. “Great to see Ferrari and McLaren going at it for the World Championship. Certainly can’t rule out Red Bull.”
As one of the most thrilling F1 seasons in recent memory heads into its final stretch, the rivalry between Verstappen and Norris is poised to be a central storyline, with Ferrari, McLaren, and Red Bull all vying for Constructors’ supremacy. Fans can expect the season’s last four races to bring high-stakes battles and, hopefully, the clean racing that Brown is calling for.
