‘Clever’ Max Verstappen lauded for rattling McLaren with 'direct hit'

Max Verstappen has been labelled as “clever” for landing a “direct hit” with his jab at F1 rivals McLaren.

After claiming an unlikely victory from pole position at last weekend’s Japanese Grand Prix, Verstappen quipped he would have won the race more comfortably had he been driving McLaren’s car.

Red Bull’s four-time world champion resisted a race-long challenge from the McLaren’s of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri to record a fourth straight win at Suzuka.

After closing to within a point of Norris in the drivers’ championship, Verstappen cheekily joked: "I don't even want to think about if I'd been in that other car [McLaren]. Then you wouldn't have seen me!"

Verstappen’s remark drew a response from both of McLaren’s drivers in the build up to the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Norris invited Verstappen to test his McLaren following the Dutchman’s comments about the competitiveness of the MCL39.

“I have a lot of respect for Max but I also know some things are not true, he can come and test our car any day that he wants and I’ll be excited to see the disappointment on his face after he gets out,” Norris responded.

Max Verstappen bait catches Martin Brundle’s eye

Former F1 driver turned commentator Martin Brundle reckons Verstappen successfully rattled his rivals with his remark, which Brundle believes had a double motivation behind it.

"So it was twofold," Brundle told Sky Sports F1.

It was to give his team [Red Bull] a hurry up and to poke the two McLaren drivers. Direct hit, because they both went on the defensive.

“Risky strategy, because what Max is saying there to the 1500 people back at base, who've just given him a race winning car: 'Your car's not very good', and that can demotivate them.

"But then both McLaren drivers... Certainly Lando, sort of said a bit the same thing about his car: 'well have a go in it, you'll be disappointed, Max.’

"So they shouldn't have bitten on that one, I don't think. And it was quite clever psychology from Max.”

Brundle also analysed McLaren’s much-criticised strategy last time out in Japan.

“Completely different race here [in Bahrain], where you can build a tyre advantage by staying out longer and having fresher tyres at the end of the race,” he said.

“It was two against one at Suzuka and they may well have that again here with other teams as well.

“Should they have tried to destabilise Red Bull and done something a litter different? I think they probably should have, yes. The problem you’ve got there is they’ve got two drivers up for the World Championship.

“It’s a problem they’re going to have to manage all through this season and probably the next few seasons indeed. Do you want to disadvantage one of those?

“Because if you do that swap or bring Lando in early, put him in traffic, lose a little bit of time and then there’s a Safety Car, Lando is back in seventh and he’s not no longer leading the World Championship.

“It’s very easy to sit on the sofa going: ‘Do that, do this.’ But you can look a bit foolish quite quickly.”