Max Verstappen criticises McLaren’s approach to team orders
Max Verstappen has delivered a blunt assessment of McLaren’s refusal to impose team orders, declaring he would tell the team to “f*** off” if asked to play a supporting role whilst still mathematically in championship contention, reports BritPanorama.
The Red Bull driver described McLaren’s decision to allow Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris to race freely as “perfect” for his own title aspirations. Speaking in Qatar on Thursday, Verstappen was unequivocal about his stance. “I mean if that was said to me I would have not rocked up! I would have told them to f*** off,” he stated when discussing the possibility of being asked to support a team-mate.
The championship battle has intensified following McLaren’s double disqualification in Las Vegas, leaving Norris with a 24-point advantage over both Verstappen and Piastri, who sit level on 366 points. With 58 points remaining across the final two races, McLaren have confirmed they will maintain equal treatment for both drivers despite the mathematical possibility of Verstappen snatching the crown.
Team principal Andrea Stella emphasised the team’s position on Thursday, stating there was “no reason to” favour Norris over Piastri. The Australian driver revealed that whilst a “very brief” internal discussion occurred regarding potential support duties, the outcome was a firm rejection of any such arrangement.
The Dutch driver expanded on his philosophy, arguing that genuine competitors would never accept subordinate status whilst championship possibilities remain alive. “If you’re a real winner and a racer as a driver then you go for it. Even if you are behind, what’s the point otherwise to turning up?” Verstappen questioned.
He suggested that accepting such restrictions would amount to “easily just label[ling] yourself as a number two driver which I think he doesn’t want to be.” Verstappen acknowledged the mathematical challenge ahead, noting that whilst he remains level with Piastri, significant fortune would be required for either to overtake Norris in the remaining races.
The Las Vegas disqualification dramatically altered the championship landscape, with both McLaren cars excluded for excessive plank wear that exceeded regulations by mere fractions of a millimetre. Verstappen discovered the news whilst flying home from Nevada, acknowledging that whilst teams push regulatory limits, “there’s no excuse. When you’re too low, it’s too low.”
The exclusion transformed his title prospects from remote to realistic, though he remains pragmatic about his chances. “Even if you win everything, you still need a bit of luck,” he admitted, confirming Red Bull would “go all in” with “nothing to lose” in the season’s final races.
As the tension rises in the championship’s closing stages, the atmosphere in the paddock reflects the fine line between camaraderie and rivalry. In Formula 1, the pursuit of victory can quickly overshadow flashes of sportsmanship, leaving fans to wonder how far teammates will go to seize the ultimate prize.
