McLaren is not discounting the possibility of Verstappen as Red Bull intensifies discussions.

      "If, for some unusual reason, someone were to slip on a banana peel..."

      McLaren CEO Zak Brown has not entirely dismissed the possibility of pursuing Max Verstappen as speculation about the Dutch driver's future has continued through the Austrian GP weekend. Red Bull arrived at its home race under significant pressure to persuade Verstappen to remain, amid reports of various high-level discussions with his management.

      The Austrian newspaper Osterreich reported that Verstappen's manager, Raymond Vermeulen, met "multiple times" during the weekend with senior leadership at Red Bull, including major shareholder Mark Mateschitz, to discuss the team's future plans. The report also indicated that Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff paid a visit to the Dutch driver on Saturday in yet another attempt to convince the four-time world champion to stay.

      Nonetheless, it seems the Verstappen camp is not ready to make any decisions at this time. Meanwhile, Brown humorously remarked that McLaren is quite satisfied with its current drivers, while keeping the possibility slightly open. "I’d be very surprised if Lando or Oscar left for another team," he stated. "They’re very content, we have contracts, but even without contracts, we’re very pleased with them. If, for some strange reason, someone were to slip on a banana peel while getting out of the bath, then, of course, Max is a four-time world champion."

      Despite Oscar Piastri being most frequently linked to a potential switch to Red Bull, Lando Norris also commented on Red Bull's performance following their significant upgrades in Austria. "I mean, they’re extremely competitive, so it’s no surprise," Norris said. "It’s still Red Bull, still an incredible team, and they weren’t underperforming before."

      Former Red Bull driver Robert Doornbos observed that the pressure on the Austrian team was evident throughout the weekend. "There was a confidential conversation in Austria last week, where Max met the high-ranking officials of Red Bull, the entire organization," he shared with Ziggo Sport. "The team is determined to retain him at all costs. Naturally, they want to do everything possible to secure Max's future. That is only feasible if he is not competing in the midfield. Well, now he’s just been in contention for the win, so I think everyone at Red Bull can breathe a little easier."