McLaren F1 boss on 'gap opening up' for Max Verstappen move

Credit for photo: Red Bull Content Pool — Photo: © IMAGO

Max Verstappen

McLaren F1 boss on 'gap opening up' for Max Verstappen move

McLaren have one of the most talented driver lineups on the grid

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Tuesday 5 May 2026 08:58

McLaren F1 boss Zak Brown has opened up on the possibility of Max Verstappen joining his team in the future.

Verstappen's long-term future at Red Bull has been in some doubt in recent weeks, with the Dutchman not happy with the new regulations in the sport, nor his team's start to the 2026 season.

He is contracted with Red Bull until 2028, but is understood to have exit clauses in that contract.

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While McLaren and Mercedes are both more than happy with their current driver lineups, it has been reported that both would be willing to open up a spot should four-time champion and best driver of his generation Verstappen become available.

McLaren have signed Verstappen's race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase to their team from 2028, and it's been rumoured that this move was a way of dangling another carrot in front of Verstappen incase he wishes to make a move away from Red Bull.

Now, at the Miami Grand Prix, Brown has spoken about his current driver lineup, which includes 2025 world champion Lando Norris and Australian youngster Oscar Piastri.

"I couldn't be happier with our driver lineup," Brown told Sky Sports F1 in Miami. "Lando and Oscar. Not only are they two awesome guys on the track, off the track, but as team-mates, which is so much I think what's made McLaren successful here is the chemistry that we have in the garage, factory, with our pit wall all throughout the racing team. So I couldn't be happier with what we have and zero intention of changing it."

Reflecting on the potential availability of Verstappen, Brown continued: "He's an awesome racing driver, so if a gap opened up, that's a different, different conversation, of course, you know, when you see the talent that he has."

Will Verstappen leave Red Bull?

While Red Bull's car in 2025 was inconsistent, Verstappen still managed to squeeze everything out of it and claim eight grand prix victories.

This year's car, however, seems destined for a battle for the top-four in the constructors' championship following the 2026 regulations overhaul, although Red Bull's performance at the Miami GP was much improved compared to the first three races of the season.

Mercedes have been linked with a move for the Dutchman in each of the past two seasons, while McLaren's signing of Lambiase has put them as the front runners to secure Verstappen's signature, particularly with Mercedes' driver lineup performing so well.

There's no telling when, or even if, Verstappen will leave Red Bull at this stage. But if that decision does arise, then expect a huge queue of pursuers.

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F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen McLaren Zak Brown