Brown refutes Palou's assertion and dismisses any alterations to the team strategy.

      "Our strategy remains unchanged."

      Zak Brown has dismissed Alex Palou's court claim that he never wanted Oscar Piastri in a McLaren seat, labeling the accusation as "absolutely ridiculous." L’Equipe reported with the headline: "We have the best duo on the F1 grid with Oscar and Lando: Zak Brown refutes Alex Palou’s claims." De Telegraaf stated: "McLaren's chief Zak Brown denies opposing the arrival of world championship leader Oscar Piastri."

      In additional remarks shared by Sport1, Brown also rejected the notion that McLaren's so-called 'Papaya rules' need to be adjusted now that the constructors' title has been secured, especially following the tense on-track incident between Piastri and teammate Lando Norris in Singapore.

      "Our strategy isn’t changing," Brown remarked. "We are approaching the remaining races exactly as we have with all the previous ones. While we would like to limit the competition to our two drivers, Max is still very much in the mix," he noted, referencing four-time world champion Max Verstappen.

      "The key is to maintain focus while staying humble. Our hunger couldn’t be greater." These comments come amid speculation that Piastri's manager, Mark Webber, is considering a potential switch to Ferrari for the Australian in 2027, while discussions continue regarding whether McLaren should designate a clear number one driver.