Zak Brown opens up on Max Verstappen to McLaren after Lando Norris makes wish clear
Lando Norris has been linked to Red Bull throughout the summer of 2023, but Zak Brown is not amused by the rumours.
Zak Brown has accused the media of stirring the pot regarding Lando Norris’ long-term F1 future, but the McLaren CEO did open the door for Max Verstappen to potentially join the team in the future should the opportunity arise.
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Norris has been routinely linked with a switch to the Milton Keynes-based team, first as a potential option for the 2024 season and now more realistically for 2025 once Sergio Perez’s current deal expires.
While Norris has expressed his desire to work with Verstappen, with whom he is very close friends and enjoys a close relationship, the 23-year-old Briton is committed to the McLaren project and remains contracted with the team until the new regulations come into effect in 2026.
Speaking about the speculation ahead of the Singapore Grand Prix, Brown said: “I think he was just responding to a question he was asked. I think everyone else is stirring it.
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“I think they’re good buddies and if you ask any racing driver if they wanna race another competitor, I think you’ll an answer of ‘I’d want to be Lewis’ team-mate or Max’s team-mate or Fernando’s team-mate.
“So I think everyone’s picked up a question he was answering and stirred it a little bit, and that’s Formula 1, but that’s alright. He’s in a good place.
“When asked if Verstappen was welcome at McLaren, Brown replied: “That’s the first time I’ve been asked that question. I think anytime that you have a driver of that calibre… if there’s an open seat, of course, but we’re very happy with our two drivers.”
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Red Bull’s interest in Norris is very real, but this isn’t a problem that Brown will have to worry about until the end of the 2024 season with Checo looking set to keep hold of his seat alongside Verstappen for another season.
The McLaren boss has already reiterated the Bristol-born driver’s commitment to the project, telling ESPN: “He loves McLaren, it's been his family, so there's no doubt in my mind that his number one choice is to win a world championship with McLaren.
“I think the best thing we do to retain him is to demonstrate to him we're a team capable of doing that. It's about giving him a car where he thinks 'I think I can win a world championship with this team.'"
