McLaren CEO Zak Brown appears to be far from done stirring the pot at rival Red Bull. The American previously questioned the choice of Liam Lawson, and now the CEO predicts that star driver Max Verstappen is unlikely to stay with the Austrian team for long. ‘Mercedes has stability, and we know Toto is fond of him,’ explains Brown.
Earlier this week, Zak Brown already added fuel to the fire at Red Bull by suggesting that the team would have been better off choosing Yuki Tsunoda over Liam Lawson. The American made these comments based on Lawson’s Red Bull debut in Melbourne. The New Zealander was ultimately unable to finish the race due to a crash. However, Brown seems far from done stirring, and is now also willing to make a prediction about the future of Max Verstappen.
“I think Verstappen will leave Red Bull by the end of the year,” predicts Brown about Verstappen’s future in an interview with The Telegraph. The American also has an idea where the four-time world champion is headed. “Probably to Mercedes. There’s also talk of a move to Aston Martin, because Adrian Newey is there now. But as great as Adrian is, and he really is the best of all time, you need a whole team. That takes time. That’s why I’m betting on Mercedes.”
Verstappen to Mercedes?
The CEO of McLaren, which recently extended the contract of Oscar Piastri, also explains why Mercedes would have the right ‘culture’ for Verstappen. “Mercedes has won the championship seven or eight times in the past ten years. Last year they still won five races. They have stability. We know that Toto (Wolff) is fond of Verstappen. And the Mercedes engine is probably the best engine with regard to the new regulations.”
As for which of the two current Mercedes drivers, George Russell or Andrea Kimi Antonelli, Verstappen would replace, Brown is not sure. “George’s contract ends at the end of the season, and Kimi has so far always had a one-year contract.”
