F1 champion Max Verstappen stirs the pot at McLaren

Max Verstappen

Max Verstappen stirs the pot at McLaren

Max Verstappen delivered an impish take

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Saturday 18 October 2025 14:57

Max Verstappen couldn’t resist stirring the pot during a media appearance in Austin where he was asked about F1 rivals McLaren.

The Woking-based outfit wrapped up the constructors’ championship last time out at the Singapore Grand Prix, with the focus now on Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri as they battle it out for the drivers' title in the remaining six rounds.

McLaren’s intra-team championship fight has been punctuated by several instances of 'papaya rules' throughout the year, but in Singapore the strength of this understanding was tested.

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Where Piastri has been a pliant team-mate in 2025, famously giving up second to Norris in Monza after the Brit’s slow pit stop, an aggressive move from Norris on the opening lap of the Singapore GP left the Aussie frustrated.

"If he has to avoid another car by crashing into his team-mate, then that's a pretty **** job of avoiding," Piastri said to race engineer Tom Stallard via his team radio during the race.

When the team refused to give the place back, Piastri became further incensed with many predicting further drama at this weekend's US GP.

Verstappen, who is 63 points behind Piastri in the drivers’ standings, was asked about the McLaren rivalry during Thursday’s press conference at COTA, to which he provided a characteristically sarcastic response.

Verstappen addresses McLaren favouritism claims

When asked if McLaren are favouring Norris in the title battle, claims that have been made by the likes of Bernie Ecclestone, Verstappen decided to stir the pot.

“Absolutely,” he laughed, with a cheeky side glance to Lewis Hamilton who was sat beside him during the media session.

The Dutchman then added more seriously: “Does it help me? I don’t know, I don’t care because it has nothing to do with me what they decide within the team and how they operate as a team.

"They do whatever they think is right and they are doing a very good job of it, being this quick and what they have done over the last few years.”

Although it is an outside chance, Verstappen is still in contention for the drivers’ title, but he has maintained he is focused on Red Bull’s performance rather than McLaren’s internal politics.

“For me, what is important is that when we get to the racetrack we just maximise our potential and as long as we can do that, it's in our control. Of course, if you look at the whole season we didn’t have a great start to it.

“But just approach every race weekend trying to maximise everything we can. Try to win races and that’s the only thing we can do until the end.”

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