Verstappen Has To Be Shown 'Where Limits Are' Says Brown

Tuesday, 19 November 2024 at 20:00

CEO of McLaren Racing, Zak Brown, backed his driver, Lando Norris, as he suggested Max Verstappen needs to be shown where the limits are.

In a recent interview with Auto Motor und Sport, McLaren's CEO Zak Brown reflected on the battle between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen from the 2024 United States Grand Prix in Austin.

Although he started that race from the pole position, Norris lost three positions on the opening lap and had to fight back through his Championship rival Verstappen, who wasn't ready to give up his position.

The two fought each other for a couple of laps, but the battle ended quite controversially with an incident in turn number 12, where Verstappen pushed Norris wide and went off the track, and the McLaren driver performed his overtake off the track. Brown said:

"The world has changed. [It's] more transparent. Admitting weaknesses is a strength these days. We all have them."

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"Maybe sometimes Lando is too frank and it's better to keep certain things to himself. But I don't think that's a weakness on the track. Lando drove brilliantly in Austin."

"The only thing he could have done differently was run into Max. But that's not our style and not Lando's either."

Brown went on to suggest that Max Verstappen should be shown where the limits are, as he also brought up the controversial 2021 season, which was marked by multiple incidents between the Red Bull Racing F1 driver and Lewis Hamilton.

"Lando drives hard but fair. Max is an incredible driver who pushes the rules to the limit. But you have to show him where the limits are."

"If that doesn't happen, there will be scenes like the one between Lewis and Max in 2021, when Lewis said to himself: enough is enough. I don't think we want to go back to that."