Brown denies the claim of Verstappen joining Mercedes.

      "I believed Max would move to Mercedes after this season."

      McLaren CEO Zak Brown has revised his previous belief that Max Verstappen might leave Red Bull, acknowledging that the Dutch driver appears stronger than ever as he quickly narrows the gap in the championship standings. Prior to the summer break, Brown had openly speculated about Verstappen potentially joining Mercedes and even reached out to his manager, Raymond Vermeulen, to discuss his contract. But with Red Bull's resurgence, Brown now recognizes that the four-time world champion has returned to peak form.

      "The introduction of new team principal Laurent Mekies has made a significant difference," Brown told De Telegraaf. "At least, that’s what it looks like from afar." Mekies took over from Christian Horner at the Belgian Grand Prix, stepping into a team that seemed fractured at that time. "Red Bull appeared to be completely breaking apart," Brown chuckled. "But now harmony appears to have been restored. That’s not great news for us."

      Brown admitted he had genuinely thought Verstappen was on the verge of switching teams. "For a long time, I believed Max would go to Mercedes after this season," he remarked. "However, that’s not going to happen. In fact, recently there has been no discussion regarding Verstappen’s future whatsoever."

      As Verstappen’s momentum increases—reducing his championship deficit from 104 to just 40 points since Zandvoort—Brown emphasized the importance of not underestimating him. "Certainly, we take Max very seriously in the title race," he stated. "It would be very unwise not to."

      Brown commended both Verstappen and Red Bull for reversing their fortunes. "This also reflects their performance and how good he’s feeling," he noted. "Max appears to be in better shape than ever right now."

      Verstappen, who confirmed earlier this year that he will remain with Red Bull at least until 2026, is once again thriving with a car closely aligned with his feedback. Meanwhile, McLaren's own title aspirations are complicated by the rivalry between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris.

      Following the Austin sprint, McLaren lifted internal "repercussions" for Norris, stating that both drivers would start with a clean slate. "We’ve always maintained we’ll allow them to race each other, as long as it’s fair and respectful," Brown explained. "Incidents are unavoidable in this sport, but it’s about how you handle them. We’re not suddenly favoring one driver over the other—unless it becomes mathematically impossible for one of them to win."

      Nonetheless, with Verstappen closing in rapidly and Red Bull seemingly rejuvenated, Brown acknowledges that the title battle is entering a critical phase. "Give Max a car he can manage a bit better, and he races away,” he said. “That’s exactly what Red Bull has accomplished."