McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has dismissed speculation that four-time world champion Max Verstappen could join the team, reaffirming confidence in current drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Speaking during the Austrian Grand Prix weekend ending June 28, 2026, Brown addressed reports that Verstappen's management had held preliminary talks with McLaren.
Verstappen remains under contract with Red Bull until 2028, though an exit clause could allow him to leave in 2027 if he is outside the top two in the Drivers' Championship by the August summer break.
“Well, I’d be very surprised if Oscar or Lando went elsewhere as they are very happy,” Brown said.
He emphasized that the team is fully satisfied with its existing long-term driver lineup.
“You know, we’ve got contracts but even contracts aside, they are very happy here and we are very happy with them.
If for some strange reason, someone slipped on a banana peel getting out of the tub then yeah, of course, Max is a four-time World Champion,” Brown added.
Other Team Bosses Echo Similar Stance
Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff also indicated that his team is not looking to change its current driver pairing.
“We don’t want to change things,” Wolff said.
He noted that the combination of George Russell and Kimi Antonelli works well for the team.
“We have said also to George, this is a line up that is good for us – very happy with the two of them… Kimi is clearly very fast, that’s why we hired him, and George the same,” Wolff explained.
Red Bull Team Principal Laurent Mekies stated that Verstappen has expressed his commitment to staying with the squad, provided they deliver a competitive car.
“Max has made clear to us that he wants to continue with the team.
It’s equally clear that he needs a fast car for him to be happy with the team,” Mekies said.
Mekies added that the team focuses on vehicle development rather than weekly discussions about the driver's contract status.
“As I said a few weeks ago, we’re not asking Max every week.
He’s pushing with us, he’s helping us to find the right development path for the car,” he said.
He reiterated that driver market rumors are not a primary concern for the Milton Keynes-based organization.
“It’s not a topic for us.
The topic for us is to get the car back to where we want it to be,” Mekies said.
Red Bull corporate executive Oliver Mintzlaff expressed satisfaction after Verstappen's second-place finish in Austria, which brought relief following recent performance upgrades to the RB22 car concept.
“Yes! Perfect!”
Mintzlaff said.
Verstappen currently sits seventh in the Drivers' Championship standings, trailing leader Kimi Antonelli by 98 points as the field heads to the British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
