Piastri responds to critics, while Verstappen remains unflustered.

      "We can advocate for ourselves"

      The Formula 1 paddock has gathered at Interlagos for what may be a pivotal round in the 2025 championship battle, with much of the conversation in São Paulo focusing on Oscar Piastri. Following a string of lackluster performances, the Australian driver is facing heightened scrutiny amidst speculation that McLaren is favoring his teammate, Lando Norris. Compounding the tension, Jos Verstappen openly suggested that Piastri should "stand up internally."

      "If I were in his position, or his manager Mark Webber, I would certainly assert myself," Jos expressed to Dutch media. "Right now, there's a lot of speculation about whether he can cope with the pressure, which is detrimental to his reputation. If I were Piastri, I would push back. People expected him to be a champion, and that outlook has changed rapidly."

      Piastri responded to the criticism. "We (McLaren drivers) can advocate for ourselves, and I feel quite comfortable doing so," he stated. "The team actively encourages us to assert our individuality. It’s clearly a challenging dynamic for the team with two drivers vying for a world title that can only be won by one of us."

      In light of accusations of favoritism towards Norris, or suggestions that he has collapsed under pressure, the 24-year-old remained resolute: "People are free to think whatever they want. For my part, I know I still have the ability to win the championship. I’m confident that I've learned valuable lessons from the previous few weekends."

      While the McLaren drivers are in a fierce contest separated by just a point, Max Verstappen, trailing by 36 points, is the relaxed outsider. When asked if he enjoys the less complicated scenario at Red Bull, Max smiled: "Give me that distraction and the fastest car, and I’ll handle the rest." He acknowledged, "It’s nice in a way that the team is concentrating on me."

      Jos Verstappen shares the sentiment that his son is performing well again. "I’m not interfering with his driving—Max hasn’t needed that for a long time. However, I maintain a good relationship with Laurent Mekies, and it brings me comfort to see how much joy Max is finding again. He’s in capable hands."

      When reminded of Sergio Perez’s recent assertion that Red Bull constructs its cars solely for Max, Jos laughed: "I would probably say the same if I were in Perez’s position."

      Dr. Helmut Marko, speaking to Kleine Zeitung, expressed cautious optimism. "He’s relaxed and approaching each race as it comes," he said regarding Verstappen’s title prospects. "But his comeback has come slightly too late. We recognize that the McLaren is superior—hence we cannot afford any mistakes. We are undoubtedly the underdogs, yet we have a history of securing championships in the final race."

      Marko also mentioned to Kronen Zeitung: "As far as I understand, McLaren intends to grant its drivers complete autonomy until the very end. Perhaps this will motivate Piastri to make a comeback."

      Concerning Red Bull’s expected performance in Brazil, he concluded: "Despite imperfections in Singapore and Mexico City, Max still managed to regain points. And now we’re in Brazil, where a critical step in the title race was taken last year."