AUSTIN, TX – Red Bull’s Max Verstappen ignited a playful controversy Thursday ahead of the US Grand Prix, initially suggesting McLaren was showing favoritism towards Lando Norris, a remark he later clarified as a joke.
The exchange occurred during a press conference were Verstappen, currently 63 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri, was asked about potential bias within the McLaren team. He responded with a firm “Absolutely,” followed by a laugh and a simple “Yep.” As he left the room, Verstappen quipped, “Well, there’s a headline.” A subsequent inquiry from BBC Sport, relayed through his PR representative, revealed the initial statement was not serious.
verstappen, who has won two of the last three races and finished second in the other, later added, “I honestly don’t know. I don’t care also. It has nothing to do with me.They do whatever they think is right and they are doing a very good job of it being so swift. For me,the moast significant thing is we maximise our potential and as long as we do that,it is in our control.”
McLaren’s Oscar Piastri offered a contrasting view, stating, “I’m very happy that there’s no favouritism or bias.”
