Max Verstappen's X-rated response to McLaren team orders request

Max Verstappen has weighed in on the internal dynamics at McLaren, as he fights both of their drivers for the F1 championship.

The four-time world champion is within 12 points of Lando Norris after his Qatar Grand Prix victory, batting aside Oscar Piastri for second in the standings - an entirely different story from the start of the weekend.

Norris led both Verstappen and Piastri by 24 points coming into the Qatar GP weekend, with some questions asked about whether McLaren would begin favouring Norris over his team-mate in order to secure the championship.

Piastri has made it clear that he doesn't intend to compromise his own championship chances unless he is mathematically out of the fight, with Verstappen now weighing in with his own inimitably, casually abrasive style.

The Dutchman, who hasn't truly had to fight a team-mate for any of his four championships, admitted that he would simply have told management to 'f*** off' if he was asked to put aside his own dreams for a team-mate.

Verstappen: McLaren stars should be free to fight

Asked for his take on how McLaren are handling the situation – allowing their drivers to race – he said: "It's perfect. I think you can't do a better job than allowing them to race as well, because why would you suddenly now say that Oscar wouldn't be allowed to [race].

"I mean, if that was said to me, I would have not rocked up. I would have told them to f*** off. If you're a real winner and a racer, as a driver, then you go for it - even if you are behind. I mean what's the point otherwise in turning up?

"Otherwise, you can easily just label yourself as a number two driver, which I think he doesn't want to be.

"I know that I'm equal on points with Oscar. A lot still needs to go right, but I think it should be like that, that they are free to race, and hopefully we can make it a great battle until the end."

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