P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Zak Brown would rather McLaren risk the failures of the 2007 F1 season than choose between Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to fend off the threat of Max Verstappen.
McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown prefers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to experience a 2007 repeat over showing favoritism between the two drivers and the team. He asserts that McLaren will not support either driver, even if it results in Max Verstappen winning the title, highlighting a steadfast commitment to fair play despite increasing pressure. With just one point separating Norris and Piastri in the current standings and 116 points up for grabs in the remaining four F1 races, treating one driver differently becomes practically impossible. Despite Verstappen being 36 points adrift of Norris, McLaren’s position is reinforced by the Red Bull driver posing a distant threat, while Norris faces the challenge of defending his championship lead. McLaren’s neutrality is rooted in the belief that both Norris and Piastri are top-tier drivers, emphasizing parity between them, as expressed by Brown and team principal Andrea Stella on the F1 Beyond the Grid podcast. In the hypothetical scenario of Verstappen clinching the title, Brown stated that he would congratulate him and prioritize McLaren being outperformed rather than self-sabotaging their chances. The team’s proactive approach in pursuing victory rather than a defensive stance underlines their commitment to offensive gameplay in the pursuit of the world championship.
