Zak Brown names the team he expects Max Verstappen to join if he leaves Red Bull

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Zak Brown has hinted that McLaren would only look at Max Verstappen if one of Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri left the team, not as a direct replacement for either driver.

Verstappen put his Red Bull future into question earlier this year and hasn’t ruled out a move away in the near future. He’s also been linked with McLaren since then, especially after the team hired his long-time race engineer Gianpiero Lambiase.

Lambiase is set to join McLaren by 2028 at the latest, taking on the role of chief racing officer to help ease some of Andrea Stella’s workload. The strong relationship between Lambiase and Verstappen has naturally led to speculation about a possible move.

If Verstappen did become available, reports have suggested McLaren would be more likely to replace Piastri than Norris. The Dutchman could even hit the market as soon as this year, with his contract reportedly including a release clause that runs through 2028.

Zak Brown backs Mercedes move if Verstappen exits Red Bull

Between August and October, Verstappen will have the option to trigger his release clause if he isn’t in the top two of the drivers’ standings at the summer break. But Brown hasn’t indicated any plans for McLaren to pursue him, saying he’s more than satisfied with Norris and Piastri.

If Brown had to guess where Verstappen might go after Red Bull, he’d put his money on Mercedes. While the team has always kept an eye on him, Toto Wolff ruled out a move in public statements back in March.

Brown told Sky Sports: “From McLaren’s point of view, I couldn’t be happier with Lando and Oscar. We have long-term agreements with them, and I think it is the greatest driver pairing on and off the track, so we have no intention of replacing any of our two superstars.