Zak Brown has been accused of using speculation around Max Verstappen’s future to try to “destabilise” Red Bull. The McLaren chief is an outspoken critic of Christian Horner’s team and also of the 51-year-old personally.
McLaren knocked Red Bull off their perch last season by beating them to the Formula 1 constructors’ title. Verstappen retained his status as the drivers’ champion but that already looks under serious threat this year with his car not currently able to compete with the McLaren machines on track.
The Dutchman has been the subject of constant speculation since last season regarding his future. He has a Red Bull contract until 2028 but it is an open secret that his deal contains performances clauses which will allow him to leave if the team’s car is not competitive enough.
Aston Martin are known admirers of Verstappen, despite publicly denying one recent report of a £1billion contract being on the table. And Toto Wolff also spent a lot of time and effort last year trying to convince the four-time champion to join Mercedes.
In an interview last week, McLaren chief executive Brown said he felt Verstappen was more likely to join the latter. “I think he’ll leave at the end of this year, most likely to Merc,” the American said.
But former Red Bull commercial chief Mark Gallagher is wary of Brown’s comments and believes the McLaren boss has an ulterior motive. “I don’t know the basis of how any team principal can comment on another team’s driver or contract because the only people who know what is in Max’s contract with Red Bull are Max and Red Bull,” he told Mirror Sport , via Betway.
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“McLaren don’t know it, Mercedes don’t know it. I think it’s always worth taking a step back and asking why Zak Brown, who I have a lot of respect for, would say something like that. Is it to destabilise his biggest rival?
“Max is the guy most likely to upset McLaren’s plans this year so of course Zak wants to stir things. It will be interesting. It’s difficult at the moment to understand why Max would leave Red Bull for Mercedes at the moment as it is clearly a less competitive team.”
Gallagher did go on to say, however, that the situation could easily change if the Silver Arrows were to establish themselves as a stronger force than Red Bull in the coming months and years. He added: “Ultimately Max will go with where he feels is the most competitive opportunity. There’s no room at McLaren, Ferrari is clearly full with Lewis [Hamilton] and Charles [Leclerc], so if Max goes to Mercedes then he is going to a less competitive team.
“If he did that, you’d have to question his motivation. But I don’t think Max would leave just for the money as he has plenty of money. He will be most interested in being in the most competitive car and Red Bull is more competitive than Mercedes right now.”
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