Brazilian Grand Prix: Zak Brown Prefers Max Verstappen Championship Win Over Team Favouritism

McLaren's CEO, Zak Brown, has made it clear that the team will not favour either Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri in their pursuit of the drivers' championship. With three races remaining, Norris leads with

357 points, just one point ahead of Piastri. However, Max Verstappen is closing in, trailing by only 36 points after a strong performance since the summer break.

Brown referenced the 2007 season when McLaren chose not to back a single driver, resulting in a narrow loss to Kimi Raikkonen. He stated on the Beyond the Grid podcast, "We're well aware of 2007. I'd rather go: 'We did the best we could with our drivers tied in points, and the other beat us by one', than the alternative. " This approach reflects McLaren's commitment to fair competition within the team.

Norris recently overtook Piastri in the standings following his dominant win at the Mexico City Grand Prix. He finished over 30 seconds ahead of Ferrari's Charles Leclerc. Despite his success, Norris remains cautious about future races. "Hoping and expecting are two different things!" he said. He anticipates a challenging weekend due to strong competition and unpredictable weather conditions.

Max Verstappen has been exceptional since the Dutch Grand Prix post-summer break. He has amassed 134 points during this period, significantly more than any other driver. Verstappen also secured pole position and victory at the United States Grand Prix sprint race. His consistent performance makes him a formidable contender for this year's title.

Lando Norris has achieved 16 podium finishes this season. If he secures another top-three finish, he will join an elite group of drivers who have reached at least 17 podiums in a single season. This list includes legends like Hamilton, Verstappen, Vettel, and Schumacher. Both Norris and Piastri have each won six races this year.

Current Championship Standings

The current standings highlight McLaren's dominance with Norris leading at 357 points and Piastri closely behind at 356 points. Verstappen follows with 321 points while George Russell and Charles Leclerc complete the top five with 258 and 210 points respectively.

In terms of constructors' standings, McLaren leads with an impressive total of 713 points. Ferrari trails significantly with 356 points while Mercedes is close behind at 355 points. Red Bull holds fourth place with 346 points followed by Williams at 111 points.

It's an #F1Sprint weekend in Sao Paulo Here's our schedule for Friday, Saturday and Sunday! #F1 #BrazilGP pic.twitter.com/IjL1KwPTHo

— Formula 1 (@F1) November 6, 2025

The upcoming Sao Paulo Grand Prix includes a sprint race which provides Verstappen another opportunity to close the gap on Norris and Piastri. The competition remains fierce as teams prepare for unpredictable weather conditions that could influence race outcomes significantly.

Ready: whatever the weather #F1 || #BrazilGP || @Armor_All pic.twitter.com/ZyPhig66BT

— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) November 6, 2025

As the season nears its conclusion, all eyes are on McLaren's strategy and whether their decision to maintain equal footing for both drivers will pay off against Verstappen's relentless pursuit of another championship title.