Zak Brown's Verstappen Strategy Echoes Toto Wolff's 2021 Playbook

Zak Brown's recent comments targeting Max Verstappen's driving style and 'arrogance' mirror Toto Wolff's tactics during the intense 2021 title fight. While publicly criticizing the Dutchman, Brown, much like Wolff, is speculated to be keeping the door open for a potential future collaboration with the four-time world champion.

Why it matters:

Zak Brown's approach suggests a strategic attempt to control the narrative around Max Verstappen, especially as McLaren emerges as a stronger contender. This tactic, previously employed by Toto Wolff, aims to paint Verstappen as a 'bad guy' while simultaneously cultivating a relationship that could prove beneficial should the champion ever consider a move from Red Bull. It highlights the complex interplay of public commentary and underlying strategic intentions in Formula 1.

The Details:

• Verstappen's Past Confrontation: Following the Las Vegas Grand Prix a year ago, Verstappen directly challenged Brown's earlier statements regarding his driving style, illustrating a history of direct interaction between the two.
• Brown's Public Criticism: Brown has consistently targeted Verstappen, echoing Wolff's 2021 strategy of highlighting the Dutchman's aggressive driving. In his new book, Brown claimed Red Bull personnel 'were afraid of Max' and blindly followed his directives.
• 'Arrogance' Remarks: In an interview with The Telegraph, Brown described Verstappen as a 'bruiser' and 'too aggressive on track', stating his 'arrogance comes out'. He noted that while great champions often have arrogance, Verstappen has 'crossed the line on track at times', specifically citing incidents with Lewis Hamilton in Brazil.
  • Brown later claimed these remarks were 'taken out of context' and immediately contacted Verstappen, but the combative nature of the statements remains clear.
• Media Support: Similar to Wolff in 2021, Brown benefits from the support of the British media, particularly Sky Sports, which tends to favor British drivers and UK-based teams.
• Fan Reception: Despite Lando Norris's recent wins, McLaren and Norris have faced boos from fans, suggesting Brown's narrative about Verstappen has not garnered the same public backing for McLaren that Wolff's generated for Hamilton in 2021.

Between the Lines:

The underlying dynamic between Brown and Verstappen is not purely adversarial. Verstappen has openly stated he maintains good relationships with both Brown and Wolff, indicating that these public jousts might be part of a larger F1 political game rather than personal animosity. The fact that Brown reached out to Verstappen's camp during the Horner crisis to explore future possibilities further underscores this strategic ambiguity.

What's next:

While Brown publicly critiques Verstappen, his actions suggest he's keeping the option of signing the F1 star open. With Verstappen widely considered the best driver in F1, any team principal would likely pursue him if he became available. This ongoing dance between criticism and potential recruitment highlights the long-term strategic thinking at play in the F1 paddock, where today's rivals could be tomorrow's partners. For now, the public narrative continues, but the private channels remain open, anticipating future shifts in the driver market.