Zak Brown hopes that his drivers will compete against Max Verstappen in Suzuka
The two McLaren drivers will line up behind Max Verstappen, who secured pole position, for the start of the Japanese Grand Prix. McLaren CEO Zak Brown hopes that his drivers will give a hard time to the Dutchman during the race.
Max Verstappen will start in pole position at Suzuka, ahead of Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris, respectively second and third. The Australian even qualified for the first time in his career on the front row, on a circuit that he is discovering.
It is the second time this season that McLaren drivers will start second and third on the grid, after Silverstone in July. [It was] the Grand Prix where the British team brought improvements to the MCL60 that transformed it.
“« Oscar drives very well, that’s exactly why we signed him for three more years »,” highlights Zak Brown, the CEO of McLaren, who also praises the work of his team.
Also read: Oscar Piastri extended until 2026.
« I think our driver duo is awesome. The team is really functioning well and the leadership of Andrea [Stella – the team principal] has been fantastic. Everyone is doing a top-notch job and the results are there. They are doing a fantastic job. »
Brown confident about the podium
Zak Brown believes that his team can get closer to Max Verstappen in the race. « I believe we can. The degradation of our tires seems quite good. Our race pace seems strong. It would be great to have a car or two ahead of Max at the start and give him a run for his money. »
He is also confident about a podium finish for both of his drivers. « I think we can definitely finish with both of our cars on the podium. »
