Plan against Verstappen revealed – Max Verstappen’s 2025 title campaign has so far looked less like a dominating march to glory and more like a man trudging uphill in wet concrete. The four-time world champion, once feared as an unstoppable force, is now watching orange cars disappear into the distance. McLaren, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, have found a formula that makes them near untouchable this season, and the numbers are already stacked against the Dutchman.
Third in the championship standings, Verstappen is a long way behind both McLaren drivers. The gap is so sizeable that even Verstappen himself appears to have written off his title chances for 2025. His only glimmer of hope might have been an internal McLaren feud — two young, ambitious drivers pushing too hard, perhaps tripping over each other and handing Red Bull an unexpected opportunity.
Unfortunately for Verstappen, Zak Brown has other ideas.
Rivalry without war
The McLaren team boss insists the relationship between Norris and Piastri is far too solid to crumble under the pressure of a title fight. While there is healthy rivalry, Brown claims there is absolutely no hint of animosity.
“I asked each one separately if their teammate had ever annoyed them,” Brown revealed. “They both answered ‘never’. There is rivalry, that’s normal, but no tension. In Montreal, we saw what could have been a flashpoint, but Lando recognised his mistake, Oscar understood, and it passed. As long as they respect each other, we have no problems.”
That level of maturity is rare in Formula 1, particularly when there is a world championship at stake. But according to Brown, both drivers have the right perspective, keeping competition on the track without letting it turn toxic.
From bromance to business
Brown accepts that wheel-to-wheel racing between teammates will inevitably lead to contact now and again, but he sees those as harmless racing incidents, not fuel for a feud.
“There will be other contacts, that’s for sure,” he said. “But nothing intentional. It will be a braking error, a slippery track… racing incidents. They know that.”
And that is where McLaren’s strategy becomes clear — both drivers are free to race, but they must do so with mutual respect. The message is not subtle: they are expected to remain professional even when the championship boils down to the wire.
“They will share the team for several seasons,” Brown continued.
“It’s not just a question of this year, their relationship will have consequences for next year and beyond. One of the two will be champion, the other not. We will discuss frankly with them: ‘How do you want us to manage this? How should we react?’ We will be very attentive to how we approach this moment.”
Reading between the lines, McLaren has every intention of keeping its house in order — which means Verstappen can stop dreaming of benefitting from a garage implosion.
The Verstappen dilemma
For the reigning champion, the situation is grim. Red Bull’s struggles with the RB21 have been well documented, and Verstappen has been unable to consistently challenge the McLarens on pace alone. Without mechanical miracles or strategic chaos, the chances of him clawing back the deficit are slim.
The only other wild card in play — a breakdown in relations between Norris and Piastri — has now been effectively ruled out by McLaren’s leadership. While other teams might have to manage simmering rivalries behind closed doors, McLaren seems to have turned harmony into a weapon.
This is where things get awkward for Max. You can almost imagine him sitting in the Red Bull motorhome, binoculars trained on the McLaren garage, hoping to catch a glimpse of Piastri giving Norris a dirty look over breakfast. Instead, he probably finds them laughing over avocado toast and sharing playlists.
And for Verstappen, that’s infuriating. In the cut-throat world of Formula 1, a strong teammate relationship in the opposing camp is about as welcome as a wasp in your helmet. The Dutchman has made a career of capitalising on others’ mistakes — but McLaren are politely refusing to make any, for now.
The big picture
McLaren’s unity isn’t just about this season. Brown is thinking long term. Both drivers are still young, both are in peak form, and both are locked into the team for the foreseeable future. That means avoiding deep scars now is crucial for future success.
By fostering mutual respect, McLaren is protecting its championship prospects not just in 2025, but in 2026 and beyond. That’s a headache for Verstappen, and possibly for Ferrari and Mercedes too.
The jury’s verdict?
So here’s where you come in, can McLaren really keep this peace pact going all season, especially when the stakes rise in the final rounds? Or will human nature inevitably creep in, with elbows coming out and tempers flaring? Is Verstappen’s only realistic hope now to wait for this friendly façade to crack under pressure?
Let us know your thoughts below. And remember, we’re trying to grow a new online F1 community where conversations like this take centre stage. Join the TJ13 Jury Room on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/708095665600791
MORE F1 NEWS – Italian report 2026 Ferrari will be good news for Hamilton
Lewis Hamilton is experiencing his worst ever season in Formula One. Fourteen race weekends into the campaign and the new arrival at Ferrari has yet to claim a Grand Prix podium. Should this extend beyond eighteen race weekends, Hamilton will claim the unenviable record of being the Ferrari driver who went the longest after joining the team without a top three finish.
There’s a general concern in the paddock for Hamilton’s state of mind, after he described his performance in Hungary as “useless” eve suggesting the team “change the driver.” Le Mans 9 times winning legendary Tom Kristensen said this week that, “people in the paddock, they worry about Lewis. He one hundred per cent has a contract for next year. Ferrari wants him to do well the most.”
The former Mercedes man has struggled to adapt to life at Ferrari and the very different culture and processes which exist in Italy, far removed from anything he knew during his time in Woking or Brackley. Add to this the fact the SF-25 appears better suited to his team mate and in some way its understandable to see Lewis in the mood he was in during the weekend in Budapest…. READ MORE
With over 30 years of experience in Formula 1 as an insider journalist, I have built trusted connections across the paddock, from race engineers and mechanics to senior team figures. At The Judge 13, I and a handful of trusted colleagues share exclusive Formula 1 news, expert analysis and behind-the-scenes stories you will not find in mainstream motorsport media.
