McLaren reopen war of words: “Red Bull are scared of Max Verstappen”

McLaren’s Zak Brown has accused Red Bull of being “scared” of their star driver Max Verstappen.

The accusation ahead of this weekend’s F1 Hungarian Grand Prix will reopen tensions between the rival frontrunners.

They clashed significantly in Austria when Verstappen was hit with a time penalty for his part in a collision which ended Lando Norris’ race early.

McLaren team principal Andrea Stella was hugely critical of Verstappen, suggesting that escaping punishment for historical skirmishes with Lewis Hamilton has emboldened him to race aggressively.

Christian Horner, his Red Bull counterpart, leapt to the defence of Verstappen.

“It seems to be that Red Bull are scared of Max,” Brown told The Independent ahead of this weekend’s round at the Hungaroging.

“We’re very honest with our drivers. If nobody tells him that what he did wasn’t within the regulations, why should he think otherwise?

“But to have Christian come on the radio and actually squarely point the problem at Lando – who are you kidding?

“Everyone has seen it. The regulations are very clear – you’ve got to leave a car’s width. He didn’t.

“Why did he have to say anything? It just felt wholly inappropriate.”

Verstappen and Norris were left repairing their previously close friendship after the notable clash between them in their F1 careers.

Norris went from angrily demanding an apology to softening his stance a week later at Silverstone.

But, undoubtedly, it is Brown’s team who have established themselves as the most regular contenders to threaten the dominant Red Bulls this season.

However, each of the past two grands prix have been won by Mercedes (George Russell in Austria, Hamilton at Silverstone) so McLaren will eye a big weekend in Hungary to reassert themselves.