Otmar Szafnauer names the two drivers he would love to work with in Formula 1 one day

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Every team principal tries to put together their dream Formula 1 team when selecting driver lineups, with Max Verstappen and Lewis Hamilton high on the list.

The two most recent world champions have stayed with their respective teams for several seasons, although that will change in 2025 when Hamilton switches to Ferrari.

Verstappen has also hinted that he would like to move away from Red Bull, with Toto Wolff signalling that a place at the Silver Arrows could be where his future lies.

Former F1 team principal Otmar Szafnauer has worked with many drivers throughout his decades, including world champions Jenson Button and Fernando Alonso.

READ MORE: McLaren driver Lando Norris’ life outside F1 from height and parents to celebration

Discussing who he would most like to have in his team from the current grid, he chose a surprising answer when speaking on the High Performance podcast.

Otmar Szafnauer picks the drivers he would most like to work with in F1

Most drivers are currently locked into contracts extending beyond the 2026 season, largely due to the impending regulation change which will feature both a new chassis and engine.

Szafnauer was asked if he had free reign over which drivers he could choose, he would pick two of the current title contenders.

“Probably Max or Lando. I’ve never worked with him [Norris], I know his dad, but I listen to him and he can be really hard on himself,” said Szafnauer.

“I think if he can change that to be a bit more positive, I’d like to work with him to say ‘You’re great’ and for him to believe in himself.”

McLaren and Red Bull ready to bring upgrades to Austin in title fight

With six races to go the title battle between McLaren and Red Bull is starting to heat up, with the Woking squad now 41 points ahead after overtaking them in Azerbaijan.

It’s clear that Red Bull needs both Verstappen and Sergio Perez to provide them with consistent points-scoring opportunities, and the Mexican is currently under pressure from Liam Lawson who has replaced Daniel Ricciardo at RB.

READ MORE: Everything you need to know about McLaren F1 Team from team principal to engine

The consistency of Oscar Piastri and the raw speed of Lando Norris has worked in McLaren’s favour in the last few races, with the team set to bring further upgrades to the MCL38 in Austin.

Red Bull is also ready to fit a new package to their RB20 having used the last two races to gather data and understand where they have been losing performance.