Max Verstappen has returned fire at rival team McLaren’s CEO Zak Brown, in the wake of a stinging attack at Silverstone.
Lando Norris is rapidly becoming Verstappen’s only real rival for the 2024 title, prompting McLaren bosses Andrea Stella and Brown to ramp up their rhetoric following the crash in Austria one week ago.
"Until someone tells Max, ’Hey, that’s against the regulations’, he’s not going to know any different," Brown said on Friday.
The McLaren CEO accused Christian Horner of running Red Bull without "respect".
"We’ve seen there be lack of respect," said Brown, "whether it’s financial regulations or sporting, issues with fathers and things of that nature. I just don’t think that’s how we need to go racing."
Some, however, actually applauded the extra off-track spice in the increasingly close and exciting on-track battle in 2024.
"I thought that criticism was great," laughed former Dutch F1 driver Christijan Albers, on Viaplay. "Zak Brown’s political game is beautiful.
"A stab here and a string there, taking on Horner - even Andrea Stella went crazy. Finally the fire is back!"
When asked about Brown’s attack, however, Max Verstappen was quoted as having responded by Algemeen Dagblad newspaper: "Who is Zak Brown?"
The triple world champion even denies his clash with Norris last week was even mentioned in the FIA drivers’ briefing.
"No," said Verstappen. "It was actually just about current issues, things that we can perhaps improve for the future with the circuits, track limits, things like that.
"We didn’t talk about it (the Norris incident) anymore," the Red Bull driver insists.