F1 TITLE SHOWDOWN: MCLAREN MAKE BOLD MOVE AGAINST MAX VERSTAPPEN
McLaren CEO Zak Brown admits Max Verstappen is "still very much in the game" for the F1 title. Despite a McLaren 1-2 lead, Verstappen's recent surge has cut the gap, setting up a thrilling finale to the season with six rounds left.
Max Verstappen is still vying for a fifth consecutive F1 drivers' championship, according to McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown.
According to McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown, Max Verstappen is "still very much in the game" as the race for the F1 drivers' title reaches a climax.
This season, it looked like Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris had an intra-team lock on the championship match, but the Red Bull driver has fought his way back into the picture with two wins and a second-place finish in the last three rounds.
With six rounds—and three sprints—left, including this weekend's United States Grand Prix, the Australian's lead over the four-time F1 drivers' champion has been cut from 104 points to 63 points by that stretch alone.
As much as he would like the McLaren teammates to "solely" be in contention, Brown said ahead of the journey to the Circuit of the Americas that is not the case.
"Max [Verstappen] is still very much in the game, even if we would like it to just be our two players," the American stated.
"The team's continued concentration and humility, in my opinion, have been crucial. Therefore, we will just continue our current course of action."
At the Singapore Grand Prix, McLaren won the F1 constructors' championship for the second time in a row. This is the first time the Woking-based team has won the championship back-to-back since 1991.
Brown, however, insists it will not affect the team's operations or how it handles Piastri and Norris through its increasingly controversial papaya regulations.
The 53-year-old confirmed, "We are going to approach the remaining race weekends in the same way we have handled every one before it. Our strategy is not going to change because we have won the constructors'."
"A lot of possibilities and a lot of risk."
The impending revisions to F1 regulations that will take effect at the end of the current campaign make the championship matchup between Verstappen and the two McLarens much more significant.
For all teams, including those working on power units and chassis, 2026 represents a big leap into the future. It will be considerably "tougher" next season, and Brown knows it.
Do we wish to leave a legacy and establish a McLaren dynasty? "We do, of course," he responded. However, as McLaren team principal Andrea Stella puts it, "You do not compete to leave a legacy; you just turn up every weekend and concentrate on your goals, and the history books and the results will take care of themselves."
"The new rules will make things even more difficult next year. We had the advantage of operating under known regulations this year.
"But with one of the largest regulatory changes in Formula One history, we are now entering a new era—that comes with a lot of danger and a lot of promise."
However, the objective remains unchanged. Gaining victories in races and competitions is our main goal. And we are hungrier than ever," Brown said.
SERGIO PEREZ BREAKS SILENCE ON CADILLAC’S FIRST FOUR RACES OF 2026 F1 SEASON
Discover why Sergio Perez is confident in Cadillac’s 2026 path despite urgent needs for better pace and reliability fixes.
Sergio Perez didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts on Cadillac after the first four races of the 2026 Formula 1 season.
Cadillac shows up in 2026 as F1’s newest team, but honestly, not a lot of people expected fireworks right away. With veterans like Valtteri Bottas and Perez behind the wheel, the team’s start has been a mix, some moments full of promise, others derailed by reliability issues.
Still, Cadillac isn’t just stuck at the back. Lately, they’ve been right there fighting with Aston Martin and even managed to split them in Miami, which turned a few heads.
Perez knows the team is at risk of falling behind in this crazy-fast development race, though. “We still have work to do, but I’m confident we’re on the right path,” he told reporters, including Motorsport Week.
He added, “Sometimes, once tyre degradation sets in, we can hang with the midfield, but they always seem to find another gear. There’s a long way to go this season, but we’re in a rush to find more pace. We know Aston will get stronger, and we don’t want to be left behind.”
Racing Aston Martin has actually brought Perez some enjoyment. He especially likes battling Fernando Alonso, calling those fights fair and satisfying. Still, he pointed out a weak spot: “We’re having fun with them. Racing Fernando is always great because he’s so fair. But we struggled with tyre degradation; we burnt through them too quickly. We picked the hard compound, but honestly, looking back, I should’ve gone with the soft.”
He said there’s plenty to analyse, and really, the key is getting a better grip on their car as they look ahead to Canada. “We don’t have much time, but in the short term, we need to fix the degradation. We have some ideas, but putting them together is our biggest challenge in the next few weeks.”
Cadillac may be the new kid on the block and still finding its feet, but it’s already starting to make an impact. The road out of the lower ranks won’t be easy, but they’re moving in the right direction.
HOW KIMI ANTONELLI’S THREE-RACE WIN STREAK IS REDEFINING THE MERCEDES TEAM HIERARCHY
With a 43-second gap in Miami, Antonelli proves he’s ready to lead the World Championship. Can Russell bounce back in Canada?
David Coulthard, the former Formula 1 driver, recently pointed out that Kimi Antonelli might be on track to overtake George Russell as Mercedes’ team leader.
Antonelli has been on an impressive run, clinching victories in the last three races and pulling ahead by 20 points over his main competitor and teammate, Russell.
At the Miami race, the young Italian once again outperformed his more seasoned teammate, with Russell managing only fourth place, trailing by 43 seconds.
Coulthard acknowledged Antonelli’s rapid rise in 2026, which is just his second season in F1. He highlighted Antonelli’s strengths and suggested that the Italian is, in many ways, now leading the Mercedes team.
“He’s come of age,” Coulthard said during the Up To Speed podcast.
Despite being relatively new, Antonelli has shown resilience, dealing not only with the pressure from a driver like Lando ready to strike but also with technical glitches like inconsistent paddle shifts. Coulthard mentioned how Antonelli kept his cool even when his engineer, Bono, was trying to help troubleshoot the issue in a tense moment.
“I think he’s earned the right to lead the World Championship,” Coulthard added, noting that this situation probably feels uncomfortable for George. Still, the expectations now lean heavily toward Antonelli leading the team, especially based on recent results.
Coulthard also pointed out that Russell has the experience and skill to reclaim his position as the team’s lead driver, but emphasised that only one can come out on top; someone must finish first and the other second.
The rivalry between them might start opening doors for other teams. Coulthard noted that improvements from McLaren, Ferrari, and Red Bull were already noticeable, especially in Miami.
“Winning in the best car isn’t always straightforward. Many have tried and struggled,” he said.
For Russell, who is feeling the weight of this momentum shift, the upcoming race in Canada will be crucial if he wants to close the gap and halt Antonelli’s winning streak.
