The McLaren team must stay focused on their own strategy, ignoring the formidable Max Verstappen, who is a serious threat in the F1 title race, according to CEO Zak Brown. Brown describes Verstappen as a 'horror movie' character, emphasizing his immense talent and the challenge he poses to McLaren's championship ambitions. With two rounds remaining, Verstappen is 24 points behind Lando Norris, but has clawed his way back into contention, maintaining a mathematical chance of winning the title in Abu Dhabi if his deficit to Norris is less than 26 points. Brown acknowledges the difficulty of ignoring Verstappen, stating that their primary goal is to secure front-row positions and finish in the top two, which will alleviate their concerns about Verstappen's performance. The comments come as Verstappen expresses confidence in his abilities, suggesting he could have won the Drivers' Championship had he driven the 2025 McLaren car. The Red Bull driver faces a challenging Sprint race in Qatar, starting in sixth position after being outqualified by his teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, for the second time this year. Despite car adjustments, Verstappen struggled with bouncing issues on Friday. Lando Norris, meanwhile, faces a difficult race, starting behind George Russell and Piastri due to a mix-up with Alex Albon and a wide turn at the final corner. Piastri has a chance to reduce his 24-point deficit to Norris in the Sprint race, aiming to make bigger gains in the main Grand Prix on Sunday.
