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.
GEORGE RUSSELL ADMITS ANTONELLI IS "EXCEPTIONALLY QUICK" BUT REFUSES TO CONCEDE TITLE
Kimi Antonelli secured his 3rd straight F1 win in Miami, leaving George Russell 43 seconds behind and 20 points down in the title race. (130 chars)
George Russell isn’t flinching. He’s not ready to let go of the story, even as Kimi Antonelli keeps grabbing headlines. Antonelli’s been tearing it up this season – three straight wins, all from pole – and it’s got people talking. Miami was rough for Russell; he finished fourth, over 43 seconds behind Antonelli. That gap isn’t just big; it’s glaring, and it’s putting some real heat on their rivalry at Mercedes.
Russell isn’t pretending things are fine, but he’s not throwing in the towel either. He gets what Antonelli’s doing and gives props where they’re deserved. “He’s a fantastic driver, and he’s been fast since day one,” Russell said. “You don’t win all those championships as a kid if you’re not quick.” He means it, but he’s also drawing a boundary. Russell still believes in himself, and he’s not giving up on the championship.
“I’ve still got confidence in myself, and I haven’t forgotten how to drive,” he said with a little smile. “It’s just a tricky patch, but we’re only four races in; there’s a lot more to come. We’ll sort things out over the next few weeks.”
That “tricky patch” doesn’t just mean some tough luck; it includes a 20-point deficit and a teammate who won’t stop rewriting history. Antonelli’s winning streak has changed the vibe at Mercedes, at least for now.
Russell knows all about momentum and how it doesn’t always stick around. “He’s got momentum right now; he’s flying,” Russell admitted. “But I’ve won championships myself, and I know momentum swings back and forth all year.” He actually doesn’t seem bothered by the points gap. “Honestly, I’m not even thinking about it,” he said.
It’s a calm answer from a guy who’s been here before, leaning on experience while Antonelli rides his hot streak. Russell keeps saying 'big picture, patience, not panic'.
“I just want to get back on top of the podium,” he said. “I had the pace for the first three races, but this weekend I was nowhere close. It could have gone very differently these last few weeks, and this weekend could’ve just been a blip. But some races in Japan and China didn’t go my way. That’s how F1 goes sometimes.”
Still, confidence doesn’t erase a 20-point gap, not if Antonelli keeps cruising. If Antonelli keeps piling up wins, Russell’s going to have to fight more than just the stopwatch. Losing to your teammate over and over starts to mess with your head. Russell began the season as the guy to beat, but the longer this keeps up, the tougher it gets to grab hold of the story again.
He’s holding firm, for now. But F1 doesn’t wait for anyone. What does Russell call “just a tricky run”? Well, if momentum doesn’t swing his way soon, it could become a whole lot more than that.
MAX VERSTAPPEN TAKES FRONT ROW IN MIAMI AS RED BULL UPGRADES DELIVER IMMEDIATE RESULTS
Charles Leclerc admitted surprise at Red Bull's pace after Max Verstappen finished P2, just 0.166s behind Mercedes' Kimi Antonelli.
Charles Leclerc expected Red Bull to bounce back, but he couldn’t help admiring Max Verstappen’s raw speed at the Miami Grand Prix.
Red Bull rolled into Miami with a big upgrade, looking to recover after a rough start to the season. Verstappen, a four-time world champ, landed his Red Bull in second during qualifying. He was only 0.166 seconds behind Andrea Kimi Antonelli’s Mercedes, nearly snatching pole. After qualifying, Verstappen said he finally feels like he’s back in control of his car.
Leclerc was impressed by the turnaround. “Honestly, it’s not shocking to see Kimi up there. Mercedes has been the quickest team this year, and Kimi’s been amazing these last few races,” Leclerc said. “But Max and Red Bull are coming back like this? That’s a bit more surprising. The upgrades clearly worked, and you can’t forget how strong that team really is. You never expect them to just sit back and accept a slow start.”
He added, “We figured they’d come back swinging, but to see them right back on the front row after struggling at the start… that’s something else. It’s pretty remarkable. Still, my job’s the same: beat those guys. That’s where my head’s at right now.”
Leclerc had to settle for third on the grid for Sunday’s race. Ferrari looked strong early in qualifying, but their hopes faded by Q3.
He talked about the changing conditions, but didn’t think that’s what hurt Ferrari. “The wind definitely played a part, but track temperature wasn’t all that different, so I don’t think that’s the reason,” he said. “Maybe the track changed, and we didn’t see it coming, or maybe pushing harder today in qualifying just made our car’s weak spots stand out more.”
Leclerc admitted he hadn’t dug into the numbers yet; he’d just gotten out of the car. “We’ll have to check the details to figure out exactly where we lost time.”
