McLaren responds to Verstappen threat as Norris ‘super strength’ highlighted – round-up

Henry Valantine 05 Nov 2025 10:00 PM

F1 news featuring Zak Brown and Max Verstappen.

Max Verstappen's late title push was put to Zak Brown.

Wednesday’s F1 news has arrived, with both Zak Brown and Andrea Stella having responded to the looming threat posed by Max Verstappen.

The Red Bull driver has closed the gap in the standings, but it’s the McLaren duo still in the box seat as we head into the final four races. Let’s take a look at the day’s headlines.

F1 news: A 2007 repeat possible, but McLaren on ‘offence, not defence’

Both Zak Brown and Andrea Stella said they would congratulate Max Verstappen if he is somehow able to overturn the 36-point deficit to Lando Norris, but their main priority remains with one of their drivers securing title glory.

The prospect of a repeat of the 2007 season was put to the two top bosses at McLaren, with Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso pipped by Kimi Raikkonen at the last, but while that is possible, that remains preferable to the team compared to putting one of their drivers’ needs above the other.

“I want to make sure if we don’t win, he beats us, we don’t beat ourselves. That’s important,” Brown told the Beyond the Grid podcast.

“And we’re well aware of 2007, two drivers tie on points, one [Raikkonen] gets in the front. But, we’ve got two drivers who want to win the world championship. We’re playing offence, we’re not playing defence.”

Lando Norris receives Raikkonen comparison in ‘super strength’ verdict

Jacques Villeneuve believes Lando Norris’ ability to be “very vocal about his mistakes” is something of a “super strength” for the McLaren driver.

The 1997 World Champion also compared him to Kimi Raikkonen in that regard, that while the ‘Iceman’ was not quite as outwardly vocal as Norris, the same burning desire to succeed was within him.

Ecclestone dubs Hamilton to Ferrari ‘financial marketing project’

Former F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone gave a withering assessment of Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, believing it in its current state to be a “financial marketing project”.

He also voiced his view that the Scuderia needs a dictatorial leader at the top of the team, as opinions from elsewhere can have an undue influence on the team from the outside.

Ecclestone added on Hamilton: “Everything is slipping away from him there. He wanted to become world champion there and is now surprised that he can’t do it.”

Perez: McLaren ‘messing around’ allowing Verstappen a chance

Sergio Perez said the “messing around” at the front by McLaren has in part allowed his former teammate, Max Verstappen, to close the gap at the top.

With that, the soon-to-be Cadillac driver has said the Dutchman he has a “real chance” of turning around the title battle in his favour this season.

F1’s first ‘season ticket’ holder revealed

Formula 1 announced an extension of its partnership with beverage brand Heineken, and with that came the handing of the sport’s first ever season ticket to one lucky fan.

British fan Brandon Burgess is the first person to receive this season ticket, which will give him and a plus one access to all 24 grands prix on the calendar, with travel and accommodation included.

Could be worse.