F1 News: Max Verstappen Sends Sly 'Mentality' Jab To McLaren CEO

Saajan Jogia | 14 Hours Ago

Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Second placed Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren talk in parc ferme during the F1 Grand Prix of Emilia-Romagna at Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari Circuit on May 19, 2024 in Imola, Italy. / Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images

Red Bull's Max Verstappen has responded to criticism surrounding his aggressive driving style this season, particularly from McLaren CEO Zak Brown during battles with McLaren's Lando Norris, his 2024 championship rival. The Dutchman made it clear he has no intention of changing his approach, stating that sometimes “you have to push the limits.” Verstappen also dismissed those, including Brown, questioning his racing style, claiming they lacked the "mentality" required to fight for a championship.

While the four-time world champion enjoyed a dominant season last year, when there was no opposition to his pursuit of a third title, a result of his 19 Grands Prix wins out of the season's 22, the 2024 season saw teams such as McLaren, Ferrari, and Mercedes in serious contention after the first ten races of the year.

McLaren emerged as the strongest and most consistent challenger, with Norris’s charge in the MCL38 allowing him to close in on Verstappen in the Drivers' Standings. While Verstappen's RB20 F1 car struggled with balance issues mid-season, his aggressive driving tactics drew scrutiny, particularly as he sought to disrupt Norris' progress. The race in Austin featured a fierce battle between the two, with Verstappen avoiding a penalty. However, similar moves in Mexico, where he pushed Norris off-track twice, resulted in two ten-second penalties.

His aggressive on-track defense and dominant driving style were heavily scrutinized this season, even by McLaren and the team's CEO Zak Brown, who said, "Max is such an awesome racing driver, I just don't think you need to drive like that." Replying to the statement, Verstappen said to Viaplay, as reported by Motorsport.com:

"Yes, but they don’t have the world champion mentality. I will always go to the limit to get the most out of every race and if I have to force it, then that’s just how it goes. Sometimes you have to cross a line. Well, I do.”

When asked if he had any regrets about the incident involving Norris in Mexico, he said: 

"No, not at all in that race. I think I won points there.

"So like I said, I will always do everything to get the maximum result for a championship. And of course, sometimes you have to go to the limit or over the limit, and not everyone understands that. Not everyone has that mentality.”

Offering a realistic opinion, Verstappen reckoned that while McLaren secured the Constructors' Championship, it could have prepared better to help Norris win his first championship. He added:

"They've had a very good car this year. But I think it's also clear that they still had a lot to learn, so to speak, to really constantly compete.

"Of course, they did well for the constructors' championship, but they could have prepared much better for the drivers' championship."