Brown Doubts Verstappen's Chances Outside Red Bull

Zak Brown questions if Max Verstappen could win titles with any team other than Red Bull.

Zak Brown does not believe Max Verstappen could become a world champion today with any team other than Red Bull Racing.

The CEO of McLaren F1 praises the success of the current regulations, which have tightened the field, highlighting the importance of having both a solid car and a star driver. He states that there are “six or seven other drivers” currently capable of becoming world champions in the RB20 currently driven by the Dutchman.

“Well, ultimately, you need both,” he said on the Beyond the Grid podcast, when asked whether he would prefer to have a star designer or a star driver.

“I don’t think you’re going to win without a star driver, so you need both. First and foremost, it starts with the car – people ask me all the time: ‘Is it the car or the driver? Well, it’s both’.”

“The way I characterize it is this: I think there are six, seven drivers on the grid who could become world champions with Red Bull.”

“As great as Max Verstappen is, and he is one of the best of all time, I don’t think Max would win the world championship today in any other car, other than the Red Bull.”

It is often claimed that Verstappen’s teammate, Sergio Perez, would not be able to win the drivers’ title in place of the Dutchman, let alone achieve the levels of dominance he enjoys.

While Brown did not specify who he believes could win the drivers’ championship, his response implied that he does not count the Mexican among them.

“Sergio Perez is an excellent race driver, who has shown he can race against Max from time to time, but look at the difference between them.”

“So, I think you need both, a solid car and a solid driver, because as Formula 1 gets closer, you have Max still doing a very special job to stay ahead of what’s happening in 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 5th places.”

“One day we are 2nd, the next day we are 5th and everything moves. The cars are so close that that’s when the driver makes a difference. So, you need both in the end.”

Brown Doubts Verstappen’s Chances Outside Red Bull. Brown Doubts Verstappen’s Chances Outside Red Bull