Max Verstappen: “McLaren still has a lot to learn about consistency”
World champion for the fourth time in a row, the Dutchman looked back on the 2024 season and the duel with McLaren. In his opinion, McLaren made too many mistakes, even though it had the ability and the car to win both world titles.
The duel continues between Max Verstappen and McLaren. While the 2024 season delivered its verdict after the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, where the Red Bull driver celebrated his fourth consecutive title, tension still reigns between the two camps, notably due to the Dutch driver’s recent comments. He criticized the approach adopted by the Woking team mid-season. He particularly reproaches them for allowing Oscar Piastri, teammate of Lando Norris, to take some points from him in the championship (like in Monza and Hungary), while the Briton was catching up to Max Verstappen in the standings. A decision that proved costly later on.
McLaren should have favored Norris according to Verstappen
« You have the right to fight, that’s fine, but what’s the point? », declared Verstappen during an interview with VIAPLAY. « They should have managed that more efficiently as a team. » For the former Toro Rosso driver, McLaren did not maximize everything this year and made several strategic errors that affected the results of their two drivers.
Missed opportunities for victories that Verstappen attributes to a lack of experience and a mentality that is not that of a team looking to win all titles. They clearly had a very good car this year, but they still have a lot to learn about consistency. They did well in the constructors’ championship, but in the drivers’ championship, they could have been better prepared. They don’t have a world champion mentality.
Zak Brown criticizes Verstappen’s aggressiveness
For Verstappen, it is McLaren who let the driver’s title slip away and not Lando Norris. A way to respond to recent statements by Zak Brown, the director of the British team, who had criticized the on-track behavior of the four-time world champion. « Max is such a great driver that I don’t think he needs to drive like that. »
If one can criticize his aggressive nature, his consistency in terms of results is beyond doubt. A factor that allowed him to win another world title, even though McLaren seemed to have the advantage for most of the season. For Verstappen, if McLaren had favored Norris over Piastri, the duel would have been even closer.
In 2025, all the cards will be reshuffled. McLaren has promised bold choices in the design of its future MCL39 and hopes not to repeat the same mistakes as this season, as it could once again see the driver title slip away.
