McLaren CEO Zak Brown says team papaya is ready for whatever tricks Max Verstappen may have up his sleeve in Sunday’s high-stakes Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
With Verstappen starting from pole and McLaren duo Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri lining up right behind him, the title fight is set for a tense final showdown.
Norris only needs a podium to clinch the championship, even if Verstappen wins – a dynamic that has sparked paddock chatter that the Red Bull star might try to bunch up the field and put Norris at risk.
Brown, though, says the team has walked through every permutation, plot and scheme.
“We’ll be thinking all those through,” Brown said. “Max is a smart racing driver, not only fast. So we’ll be ready for all the different scenarios.”
Just A One-Lap Wonder?
Verstappen’s two blistering qualifying laps raised eyebrows – including Brown’s – but the McLaren chief hinted that the Dutchman’s pace might be a setup gamble.
“Max put in two spectacular laps. I was concerned about the tow that he got from Tsunoda, but he didn’t need it the second time around.
“So hopefully they dialled in a one-lap wonder and they’ll pay the price tomorrow. But I’m not so sure that’s the case.”
Still, Brown believes McLaren’s side of the garage has done all it can to be ready for what could be one of the most strategically intense races of the season.
‘Business as Usual’ – Even With Two Title Contenders
Piastri remains mathematically in the fight, but he needs a near-miracle to prevail: a victory coupled with a tough day for both Norris and Verstappen. Yet Brown says the team won’t be cooking up any intra-team orders unless circumstances force their hand.
“We’ll talk about it in the morning, obviously, now that we know where we’ve qualified,” Brown explained.
“Obviously Lando needs to finish top three, Oscar needs to win and have some bad luck by both Max and Lando, which could happen. So I think it’s all to play for tomorrow.”
Both drivers know exactly what’s required – and Brown sees no reason to complicate it.
“You’ve got two guys going for the championship, so I’m sure Oscar’s mindset is ‘I need to win’,” he added. “And if he wins, then that takes points off Max, which means Lando doesn’t need to finish third.
“So I think there’ll be two different mindsets. But the field is so close, I think the minute you’re not fully on it, if you’re too conservative, you’ll get swallowed up by the cars behind because it’s so close. So I think business as usual has got to be the approach.”
With three title contenders, two of them in orange, and one of the sport’s most decisive strategists in full attack mode, Abu Dhabi is primed for fireworks – and Brown insists McLaren are ready for all of them.
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