Breaking: Zak Brown Confirms McLaren Held Talks with Verstappen’s C…read more
Breaking: Zak Brown Confirms McLaren Held Talks with Verstappen’s C…read more
McLaren CEO Zak Brown has confirmed he held discussions with Max Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, over the winter break regarding a potential future deal with the reigning World Champion.
Despite McLaren recently securing long-term contract extensions for both Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, Brown admitted to *De Telegraaf* that he reached out to the Verstappen camp as part of his responsibility to stay informed on the driver market.
“Oh yes, about that call… It’s part of my job to keep track of what’s happening in the market,” Brown said. “At the time, I was also negotiating a new contract with one of my own drivers \[Piastri].”
He explained that staying ahead of potential market shifts was essential to protect McLaren’s position. “I need to be aware if any dominoes might fall that could lead to renewed interest in one of our drivers. That’s why I made the call.”
Verstappen had previously acknowledged the conversation, joking that it ended quickly once Brown heard the price tag involved. Brown echoed that sentiment, saying: “Let’s just say I got the information I needed from that phone call.”
The talks came during a period of strong form for McLaren. The team just celebrated a dominant 1-2 finish at the Miami Grand Prix, with Piastri claiming his third straight win and solidifying his place at the top of the Drivers’ Championship. McLaren now leads Mercedes by 105 points in the Constructors’ standings.
Reflecting on his current lineup, Brown added: “I’m a happy camper,” clearly pleased with the team’s momentum and driver performance.
