Brown describes Verstappen as 'arrogant' as the decisive moment approaches.

      "If I were in the position of team principal, I would never take that chance."

      With the Las Vegas weekend presenting a real possibility of Max Verstappen being mathematically eliminated from the world championship, the focus is sharpening on the three-way championship battle and on how McLaren is managing its drivers. If Verstappen loses 9 more points to Lando Norris, his title defense will be over, although the internal competition between Norris and Oscar Piastri would persist.

      In this context, McLaren chief Zak Brown has openly addressed the increasing pressure within the team. In an interview with The Telegraph, he also commented on Red Bull's Verstappen. "I don’t want to undermine Max. He’s a four-time world champion," Brown stated. "He can be tough and overly aggressive on the track, and his arrogance can surface."

      Verstappen, not long ago, remarked that McLaren's commitment to having two number-1 drivers is a strategic mistake he would never endorse. "When a Formula 1 team has two top drivers, they are inevitably going to interfere with each other. If that team is leading in the championship, complications are bound to arise," he explained to Pelas Pistas. "If I were the team principal, I would never take that chance. Moreover, when both drivers vie for the title, the atmosphere within the team tends to get quite tense—I believe we will witness this in Formula 1 soon, considering the current state of affairs."

      McLaren's internal "papaya rules" have already caused tensions this season, a dynamic that Ferrari boss Frederic Vasseur humorously referenced. "I prefer mango for breakfast," he joked to Blick newspaper. "So here we have the Mango Rules!"

      However, 1980 world champion Alan Jones dismissed claims that the struggling Piastri is at a disadvantage. "I think that's absolute nonsense," he said on ABC’s Summer Grandstand podcast. "Every season we encounter this kind of talk. Every single time. These teams don't spend vast sums traveling worldwide to hinder one car or favor the other. I know Zak Brown well; he’s a good competitor and would give both drivers equal opportunities."

      Ralf Schumacher shares this sentiment, telling Sky Deutschland that Norris is simply performing at a higher level right now. "Norris gets into the car, and everything just clicks. The car handles perfectly; he can brake, steer, accelerate... it’s pure joy."

      Not everyone agrees. Russian commentator Alexey Popov perceives subtle patterns. "Look at Oscar—zero retirements, none from Mexico City 2023 to Monza 2025. Two years! Since then, just a few races, from Baku to Brazil—three retirements," he noted, displaying a graphic on his program that illustrated the sudden change in form. "There's no need for direct commentary. You can clearly see where the suspension was adjusted for Lando, and you can see how Oscar’s morale was impacted by the ‘papaya rules’.”

      Brown asserts that such interpretations are misguided, acknowledging that some appearances may have seemed unfavorable but denying any intent to manipulate. He conceded that the post-constructors’ championship celebration in Singapore, where only Norris reached the team podium, exacerbated suspicion. Piastri was held up by media obligations. "The first thing Lando and I said upon arrival was, ‘Damn, Oscar isn’t here. This is going to look awful.’"

      Another incident circulated when Piastri seemingly disregarded Brown’s congratulations over team radio, “hanging up” before responding. Brown claims this perception is incorrect. "It seemed like he hung up, but he didn’t. I didn’t even notice, but Oscar did and immediately said, ‘Make sure Zak knows I didn’t hear him.’"