Ever since McLaren started competing at the front of the grid, there has been a rivalry bubbling between the Woking-based team and Red Bull. And this rivalry isn’t limited to Max Verstappen and Lando Norris, as the team bosses have also got involved. McLaren CEO, Zak Brown recently revealed a hilarious exchange of digs between himself and the four-time world champion.
Speaking to De Telegraaf, Brown revealed that Verstappen had said during the British GP weekend, earlier this year, that he didn’t know who ‘Zak Brown’ was. To which, the 53-year-old Los Angeles native had decided to drop the Dutchman a personal text.
“I sent him a funny message and said: ‘I want to introduce myself, you may not know me, but I manage McLaren’,” revealed Brown as quoted on X (formerly Twitter). The friendly banter did not end there, however.
The duo happened to cross paths in the paddock for the Italian GP at Monza. That’s where Brown reminded Verstappen exactly who he was and said, “that now you [also] know my face!”
zak brown to de telegraaf: “do you remember max saying in silverstone: ‘who is zak brown?’. i sent him a funny message and said: ‘i want to introduce myself, you may not know me, but i manage mclaren’. and later in the season we met in monza, i shook hands and said that he now… pic.twitter.com/G7cXTbe2Cn
— nini (@SCUDERIAFEMBOY) December 2, 2024
Despite all the drama that Verstappen and Norris have served up on the track, the Dutchman still has a pretty good relationship with the #4 driver’s boss. Even after his title win at the Las Vegas GP, two weeks ago, the #1 driver was quick to share a friendly dig with the American on live television.
Speaking to Sky Sports, Verstappen saw Brown approaching him to congratulate him. And the Red Bull driver did not miss the moment to make the 53-year-old blush in front of a global TV audience.
The four-time world champion jokingly recalled Brown’s old comments that he could only win the championship in the fastest car. Acknowledging the Dutchman’s incredible 2024 performance where he dragged his under-firing RB20 to the title, Brown laughed it off with a slightly embarrassed nod of agreement.
