DOHA, Qatar – Max Verstappen has voiced his opinion on McLaren’s decision not to implement team orders in their championship fight, stating that he would not accept being relegated to a secondary role in any team.
“I would have told them to go to hell,” Verstappen stated, referring to a hypothetical situation where he was asked to be number two.
Max Verstappen
The Red Bull driver, who has demonstrated exceptional performance, is in an unexpected position in the fight for the championship against the McLaren drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
After Verstappen’s victory and McLaren’s double disqualification in Las Vegas, Verstappen and Piastri are 24 points behind Norris before the penultimate race.
McLaren has maintained its commitment to allowing fair competition between its drivers, and the team reiterated that it will not change its position as long as both have mathematical chances of winning the championship, as is the case with Piastri.
Verstappen, when questioned about this decision, responded with a smile: «No, I think it’s perfect!». Then, he defended McLaren’s position, arguing that no driver who aspires to win a world championship would accept that situation.
“I don’t think you can do a better job than letting them compete. Why would you suddenly say Oscar is not allowed to fight? I mean, if they told me that, I wouldn’t show up. I would have told them to go to hell,” he added.
Max VerstappenThe Dutch driver emphasized the importance of competing at the highest level and not settling for a secondary role, highlighting his tie in points with Piastri.
“I think it should be like that, that they are free to compete and I hope we can have a great battle until the end,” he concluded.Max Verstappen está empatado en puntos con Oscar Piastri y a 24 puntos del líder Lando Norris.Verstappen’s remarkable recovery has contrasted with Piastri’s decline in performance in the final months of the season.
In early September, Piastri won the Dutch Grand Prix, Verstappen’s home race, ahead of the Red Bull, while Norris had to retire due to a problem with his car.
Piastri left Zandvoort with a 34-point lead over Norris and 104 points over Verstappen, a difference that has been surpassed in subsequent races.
When asked if he ever imagined being still in the fight for the championship, he replied: “No, personally not. I mean, probably after that race, when I got home, I thought I was already done.”
