Zak Brown shuts down Verstappen-McLaren rumors, backs Norris and Piastri

TL;DR: Zak Brown dismissed rumors of a future Max Verstappen move to McLaren, affirming confidence in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri despite Gianpiero Lambiase’s planned 2028 arrival as Chief Racing Officer.

When Red Bull’s Gianpiero Lambiase announced his departure for McLaren in 2028, speculation immediately turned to whether his star driver might follow. The rumor suggested that Verstappen could join the papaya squad once his engineer’s contract expired. Zak Brown addressed the talk directly during a Sky Sports F1 interview at the Miami Grand Prix.

Brown said he is very happy with McLaren's current driver lineup of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri and has no intention to change it. He praised Norris and Piastri as awesome teammates whose chemistry strengthens the garage, factory, pit wall and broader racing team. He added that he could not be happier with what he has and sees zero need to look for a new driver.

Max Verstappen said he is very happy for Gianpiero Lambiase's move and praised their rare chemistry. He noted that their partnership since 2016 has been unusually strong in racing. Verstappen’s supportive comment underlined the personal bond but did not signal any interest in switching teams.

Both Norris and Piastri hold multi-year deals, with Norris entering his eighth season at McLaren and Piastri beginning his third year after joining in 2023. Their contracts provide stability that Brown highlighted as a foundation for the team’s ongoing performance.

What this means is that McLaren’s leadership is prioritizing internal continuity over chasing high‑profile external talent, even when a familiar engineer changes sides. The focus remains on developing the existing driver pairing and integrating Lambiase’s racing expertise from 2028 onward.

Watch next for how Norris and Piastri perform in the 2025 season, any early impact from Lambiase’s transition role, and whether contract discussions evolve as the 2028 deadline approaches.