McLaren boss Zak Brown came out firing on Friday at Silverstone and accused Red Bull of a “lack of respect” after Max Verstappen’s collision with Lando Norris last weekend.
The two drivers, who are good friends off track, were vying for the lead before both sustained punctures during a collision. Verstappen finished fifth after receiving a 10-second time penalty but Norris was forced to retire due to irreparable damage.
Norris was fastest in both practice sessions at an overcast Silverstone circuit on Friday as he targets a dream victory at his home race following his inaugural F1 win in Miami two months ago.
Brown, who has been critical of Christian Horner in the past after Red Bull breached the 2021 cost-cap, insists the world champions encourage Verstappen’s defensive tactics. Horner told his driver over the radio that Norris “did not behave correctly.”
“Until someone tells Max that’s against the regulations, he’s not going to know any differently,” said Brown at the team principals’ press conference. “It is disappointing that such a great team like Red Bull almost encourages it.
“You listen on the radio as to what was said, and we all have a responsibility on the pit-wall to tell our drivers the dos and don’ts in the races. We need to have respect for the regulations.”
Brown then referenced Red Bull’s spending breach in 2022 – which he said at the time constituted “cheating” – before alluding to Horner’s sour relationship with Verstappen’s father, Jos.
Brown continued: “We’ve seen a lack of respect (at Red Bull), whether it’s financial regulations or sporting on-track issues, or with fathers and things of that nature.
“We should guide our drivers on what is right or wrong. Had it been addressed earlier then maybe that incident wouldn’t have taken place. It was a racing incident, but one that could have been avoided if the pit-wall or the stewards were more on top of the regulations.”
Asked if he will bring the matter up with Horner, Brown said: “I don’t really have any interest in speaking with Christian.”
However, perhaps not surprisingly, Brown stood by his driver, who trails leader Verstappen by 81 points in the standings.
“Lando wants to move on from last weekend,” said Brown.
“Some drivers might enjoy a public spat but he and Max have a very strong relationship off the track. What they spoke about is between them but they both want to move on and get back to racing each other real hard on track.
“There’s a difference between what a driver is like when the helmet goes on and the visor goes down and what they’re like Monday through to Thursday.
“A lot of world champions are sweethearts outside of the race car, but pretty fierce when the helmet goes on.”
Norris was fastest in the first practice session ahead of Aston Martin’s Lance Stroll and McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri, who was second in Friday’s second session which concluded in the Northamptonshire rain.
Lewis Hamilton, an eight-time winner at Silverstone, was sixth-fastest with Verstappen in seventh.
