McLaren boss teases Verstappen link-up

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has not ruled out a future link-up with Max Verstappen after praising the F1 champion.

The Woking-based outfit finally ended their drought of championship success last season, where they claimed the constructors' crown for the first time since 1998, and have been on an upwards trajectory since.

As F1 returns following a short summer break, McLaren have already run away with the constructors' title, but the drivers' is all to play for with a McLaren one-two on the cards.

Heading into this weekend's Dutch Grand Prix, Oscar Piastri leads the standings, but team-mate Lando Norris is just nine points behind him after winning the Hungarian GP last time out.

Despite his team's success, Brown appears to be eyeing up F1 rival Max Verstappen, naming the four-time champion as his ideal team-mate in endurance racing.

Speaking to De Telegraaf in Amsterdam this week, Brown said: "Well, I would love to have Max as my team-mate in long-distance racing. Because he recently showed how fast he is there too, under a pseudonym, on the Nordschleife."

"Max is a great driver, a four-time champion for good reason. In any case, it's a pleasure for me to work with all the drivers in the McLaren programme. And with Max? Who knows, maybe one day," the 53-year-old concluded.

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Will Verstappen race outside of F1?

As Brown's F1 squad have risen through the ranks, Verstappen's Red Bull team have gone through a tumultuous period, with new team principal Laurent Mekies accepting the reality that they are unlikely to win either title this year.

Verstappen has kept his spirits up by investing in his interests away from the F1 calendar, taking to the Nordschleife at the Nurburgring earlier this year under the now famous pseudonym, Franz Hermann.

The 27-year-old set an unofficial record and took to the famous circuit behind the wheel of a GT3 Ferrari. After news of his outing gained traction in the media, Verstappen even released Franz Hermann merchandise.

The stunt wasn't simply a cash grab for the Dutchman however, he recently described driving GT3 cars as, 'a passion' of his, and after acquiring his platinum super licence from the FIA earlier this year, Verstappen could compete in endurance racing at the highest level of competition in the future.

McLaren will be entering the Hypercar class of the World Endurance Championship under Brown's watch in 2027, with the papaya squad setting their sights on the overall victory at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in a bid to achieve the triple crown of motorsport in one year.

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