Max Verstappen hits back at McLaren boss over Adrian Newey ‘first domino to fall’ talk

Max Verstappen and Zak Brown.

While understanding the reasoning, Max Verstappen believes McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown is simply trying to “stir things up” with his comments in the wake of the Adrian Newey bombshell.

It was confirmed on the eve of the Miami Grand Prix that Newey – one of the most successful Formula 1 designers of all-time – would leave Red Bull after the first quarter of 2025, though his involvement with the Formula 1 team is already over.

Max Verstappen not phased by Zak Brown stirring tactics

Brown would give his take on this Newey development, saying he was  “not surprised” by it, considering the off-track saga which rocked Red Bull earlier in the year, adding that Newey would be “probably the first domino to fall my guess is, not the last based on the resumés that are flying around”, as he suggested Red Bull staff will be pondering if it is “time to move on?”

However, Verstappen is not giving any credit to such talk, suggesting Brown’s words are typical of an F1 rival trying to take advantage of any perceived opportunity.

“He obviously wants to stir things up,” said Verstappen. “For us as a team, we can’t do anything with comments like that.

“From his point of view, I understand it of course, because everyone is trying to attract our people and that is completely normal in the world of Formula 1 as well.

“But I’m not really interested in those things either. I see the headlines, but I don’t even click on them.”

More on how Adrian Newey exit could impact Red Bull

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Despite looking well set to claim a fourth successive Drivers’ Championship with Red Bull, Verstappen’s future with the team has also been a consistent topic for debate over recent months, with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff having made it be known publicly that he would “love” to sign Verstappen.

And with the Red Bull F1 team losing their design guru, Verstappen was asked whether Newey’s exit directly impacts his future?

Again, he places little value in what is being said, claiming that the press did not know the “roles” correctly at Red Bull with Newey involved.

However, it was a “not at the moment”, rather than a straight “no” from Verstappen when it came to assessing any influence that Newey leaving could have on his Red Bull tenure.

“Not at the moment,” Verstappen replied when asked if Newey’s departure impacts his Red Bull future?

“I think people in the press, they’re making up a lot of things at the moment, because they don’t understand how the roles were in the team.

“But of course, like I said before, I cannot deny that I would have preferred him to stay, just for how he is as a person, his knowledge. And of course, what he will bring to potentially another team if he wants to join.

“Besides that, I trust that the people that we have, they are incredibly good at what they do.”

While Newey has “no plans” for life beyond Red Bull, he has left the door open to a potential Formula 1 return.