Did Zak Brown Really Want Max Verstappen at McLaren?

McLaren boss Zak Brown revealed the reason he called Max Verstappen's management to discuss a potential move to McLaren.

Zak Brown and Max Verstappen (via Planetf1)

Max Verstappen is arguably the biggest name in Formula 1 at the moment. The driver market remains focused on the Dutch driver’s future, despite Red Bull securing his services till at least the end of the 2028 season. While Mercedes and Aston Martin are rumored to be two teams interested in signing Verstappen for 2026, McLaren too had tried to throw its hat in the ring previously. Now, McLaren CEO Zak Brown revealed the reason behind contacting the four-time world champion.

Brown had contacted Max Verstappen‘s manager Raymond Vermeulen earlier this year. This call came at a time when rumors were escalating that the Red Bull star could leave Milton Keynes after 2025. An exit clause in the Dutchman’s contract can allow him to make a decision on his career during the summer break. Though so far, Verstappen has not commented on such speculation.

Zak Brown claimed that the call was meant to give him an idea about the driver market situation. The McLaren boss pointed out that he was in discussions with Oscar Piastri for an extension during the same time. As such, Brown simply wanted to see if a potential Max Verstappen move might happen for the Woking-based team.

Oh yes, about that call… It is my job to explore the market and to know what is going on. We have to remember that at that time I was also negotiating a new contract with my own driver [Piastri].
Zak Brown told De Telegraaf

He further asserted that he wanted to keep an eye Verstappen in case the Dutchman triggered a domino effect in the driver market, something that Formula 1 is infamous for. If one big name switches teams, it could turn the entire market on its head.

I want to be able to estimate whether a possible stone may fall, which can cause a domino effect. Because that could rekindle interest in my driver. That’s the reason I inquired. I’m a happy camper.
Zak Brown added

Racing Icon Labels Max Verstappen’s Miami Pole Pace ‘Annoying’

Zak Brown got all information from Max Verstappen inquiry

The F1 driver market can change at any moment. It is not a surprise when teams decide to make any last-minute changes to its driver lineups. Alpine’s decision to replace Jack Doohan with Franco Colapinto is the latest example. Thus it becomes even more important for team bosses to not only keep track of their own drivers, but also their rivals. Brown asserted that his call with Verstappen’s manager gave him all the information he needed to plan out McLaren’s driver lineup.

Let me put it this way, during that phone call I got the information I needed
Zak Brown added

Christian Horner and Max Verstappen (via F1)

Max Verstappen was asked about the phone call from Zak Brown. The reigning world champion gave a hilarious response to the media, claiming that Brown cut the call when he was informed about the salary he would have wanted from McLaren. Afterall, the reigning world champion remains the highest paid driver on the grid.

Yes, but I think that didn’t last long. When he knew how much he would have to pay, it was over immediately.
Max Verstappen said, as quoted by Crash.net

McLaren is in no real need to sign Max Verstappen. The Woking-based team has a talented lineup with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. The two drivers share a good dynamic within the team which avoids any conflict as well. On the other hand, Verstappen’s arrival would’ve disrupted the culture fostered within Woking in the past few years.

Tags: Max Verstappen Zak Brown

#About the Author

Armaan Agarwal

(2612 Articles Published)

Armaan Agarwal is a Motorsport Sub-editor and Content Manager at Firstsportz. He has written over 2500 articles with around 1000 edited pieces under his belt. Armaan has years of experience in the field of journalism, having followed Formula 1 and NASCAR for almost a decade. Nico Rosberg's title victory at the 2016 Abu Dhabi GP against Lewis Hamilton remains engraved in his memory. He started his journey with his own motorsport blog in 2017. At Firstsportz, Armaan provides deep insight into the sport for fans through his special editorial pieces. Armaan has several other skills, including social media content creation, script writing, and debating. He completed his Bachelors of Arts in Mass Communication with a gold medal from St. Xavier’s University Kolkata. Presently, he is pursuing his Post Graduation in Broadcast Journalism at the India Today Media Institute with a keen eye at the ever-evolving dynamics of a newsroom. Apart from motorsport, he is an avid reader and keeps himself up to date with current affairs.

Comments

Please login to join the discussion.

Be the first to comment!