THE MCLAREN MANIFESTO: INSIDE ZAK BROWN’S "NO TEAM ORDERS" POLICY FOR 2026
McLaren CEO Zak Brown breaks down the "pause" strategy and why he won't stop Norris and Piastri from fighting on track.
Zak Brown says McLaren’s drivers, Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, can race each other freely, with no team orders holding them back this year, even though last year was a little different.
If you think back to lap 30 of the 2025 race, McLaren told Piastri to “hold position” behind Norris. People took that as a clear team order, but Brown pushes back on that idea. He says it wasn’t about stopping Oscar from attacking Lando at all.
Brown’s been pretty open about this. After some close calls in 2024, everyone wanted to know if McLaren would actually let their drivers fight it out in 2025. Turns out, they did. And Brown insists that’s their approach heading into 2026, too.
He explained it pretty simply: if the same thing happened again? They’d handle it the same way. “They were free to race,” Brown said. The weather was all over the place – maybe rain, maybe not. Oscar was catching up to Lando; the team had a solid lead, but nobody knew if they’d need to stick with those tyres. Half the track was wet, the other half was dry, and they were weaving through traffic.
So, the call was basically “pause for a second", not “stop racing", just “let’s see what happens". Conditions were tough, and honestly, both drivers ended up off track not long after. It was chaos out there.
Brown made it clear: letting your drivers race doesn’t mean you never ask them to take a beat and assess the situation. This wasn’t about pitting Lando against Oscar; it was about not risking both cars when the weather and track were unpredictable.
In the end, both Norris and Piastri slid off, but Piastri came out worse, losing grip and ending up in the grass.
Looking ahead, Brown thinks people need to understand what’s happening during a race before judging team orders. “We’ve explained this over and over. I get that, in the heat of the moment, people might get frustrated watching the broadcast. But once we’ve laid it out, it makes perfect sense,” he says.
The team just wanted to pause and see how things would shake out. Once things settled, they let the drivers race again exactly as promised. Brown reckons it’s a good reminder that sometimes, fans need a bit more context before jumping to conclusions about what’s really going on.
CHECO RETURNS: SERGIO PEREZ OFFICIALLY DEBUTS FOR CADILLAC AT THE 2026 AUSTRALIAN GP
A new era for Checo: Get the report on Perez’s Red Bull exit, his year away, and his partnership with Bottas at Cadillac Racing.
Sergio Perez looks like a new man. He’s back in Formula 1 after a year away, and honestly, he seems more alive than he ever was at Red Bull. Now he’s rolling with Cadillac, who are making its debut in the sport, and you can see the energy in him; he’s excited, refreshed, and just really happy to be back.
People have been talking about his age and the time he spent away from racing, but Perez isn’t worried. He believes in what Cadillac can do, and he’s clear about what he can bring to the table. Sure, his pre-season testing didn’t exactly blow anyone away, but that’s not stopping him. After a rough stint at Red Bull, he’s ready to chase success all over again.
The pressure of Red Bull is gone, and you can tell. Anthony Davidson noticed it too. On Ted Kravitz’s Melbourne Podbook, Davidson mentioned seeing Perez smile in a way he hadn’t since before Red Bull. That says a lot. The Red Bull years really took it out of him.
Davidson said, “I haven’t seen that smile on Checo’s face in a long time. I think since before he joined Red Bull. So it’s great to see both drivers happy.” And it’s not just Perez; Rachel Brookes pointed out that his teammate, Valtteri Bottas, was also in great spirits during the media day. Bottas even joked about his championship picks, saying Fernando, Lance, and George, because, according to him, they were all sandbagging.
Brookes added that Bottas is in such a good mood now, and taking that year away really gave him a new appreciation for the sport. It’s brought out a whole new energy in him.
So here they are: Perez and Bottas, lining up for Cadillac’s first season in F1. No one’s expecting them to win a bunch of races or stand on the podium every weekend, but their job is huge. Being the first drivers for a brand-new team is a massive challenge, and they’ve got to prove that both they and Cadillac have what it takes.
Their main goal? Get points as often as possible. Perez probably feels the pressure a bit more than Bottas, but both know what’s expected of them. Cadillac wants to make a splash in its debut season, and everything depends on how Perez and Bottas perform. They’re front and centre for whatever success comes Cadillac’s way.
WHY NUMBER 3? THE HIDDEN MEANING BEHIND MAX'S NEW RACING DIGIT FOR THE 2026 SEASON
Max Verstappen is Number 3: Read about his 2026 F1 "Evolution," life as a dad, and why he’s not bothered by Lando Norris's title.
For the first time since 2021, the four-time champ kicks off the 2026 season without the number 1 on his car. Last year, Lando Norris took the title, so Verstappen is switching things up.
Still, Verstappen doesn’t seem bothered. “That’s just how it goes,” he told Kicker. “It happens in Formula 1 and everywhere else; sooner or later, someone else takes the top spot. It’s not a big deal for me. I don’t own first place.”
So, instead of the champion’s number, Verstappen’s going with number 3 in 2026.
Even though he’s known for being fiercely competitive, Verstappen says there’s something he cares about more these days: family. “I always wanted this,” he said, talking about becoming a dad. “I’d already seen how amazing it is. It’s honestly better than winning a race or a championship. Watching your kids grow up – that’s the best thing.”
He and Kelly Piquet had a daughter last year, and he has also grown close to Piquet’s daughter, Penelope, from her previous relationship.
Speaking to GQ Australia, Verstappen said his entire perspective on racing has shifted as he has grown older. “I’ve already achieved a lot, and sure, I want to keep going, but honestly, I just want to enjoy myself. That’s why I fell in love with racing as a kid. Just having fun out there, driving.”
He admits he’s changed on track, too. “When I was 17 or 18, all I wanted was to go flat out, all the time. Now, I build up to it more. With experience, you learn when to push and when to hold back.”
Thinking back to one of his best qualifying laps at Silverstone last year, he said, “After the first two sectors, I could see I was way ahead. So in the final sector, I took it a bit easier, just to avoid making a mistake.” That’s a big change from earlier in his career. “There was a lap in Jeddah in 2021 where I was flying, but I pushed too much in the final corner and hit the wall. Sometimes you just have to know your limits, maybe play it a little safe.”
Verstappen says he actually enjoys hanging out with the new wave of young drivers coming into Formula 1. “It’s kind of refreshing to talk to them. They’re all pretty friendly, and I feel like I can relate to them.”
But he’s realistic; he won’t be around forever. “I hope I’m still here to see that new generation take over Formula 1.”
When he looks ahead, Verstappen sums it up in one word: 'evolution'.
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