What Max Verstappen was overheard saying ‘off-microphone’ about McLaren at the US Grand Prix

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Max Verstappen said McLaren are ‘absolutely’ favouring Lando Norris over Oscar Piastri in the 2025 Formula 1 title race before letting out a laugh. The reigning world champion made the comments in Thursday’s pre-race press conference at the United States Grand Prix.

That theory has gained traction in some quarters after a number of controversial team decisions went Norris’ way. Most recently, McLaren elected not to swap their cars around in Singapore after the Briton barged his way past Piastri at the start.

The two drivers have since indicated that Norris will face ‘repercussions’ for his manoeuvre for the remainder of the season, though the exact details are unknown.

Verstappen is more than an interested observer in the title race. He sits 63 points behind leader Piastri, making him an outsider, but the margin isn’t unassailable with six races and three Sprints remaining (including one in Austin this weekend).

Max Verstappen knew he’d made ‘headlines’ with Lando Norris comment

“Absolutely!” Verstappen replied when asked if Norris was receiving preferential treatment. “Someone… I don’t know, I heard something. Does it help me? I don’t know. I don’t care also, because it has nothing to do with me – what they decide, of course, within the team – how they operate as a team.”

Some paddock insiders think McLaren are favouring Norris, but a member of Verstappen’s PR team told BBC Sport that he was joking.

However, De Limburger add that the Red Bull star ‘won’t hesitate’ to resort to mind games if he thinks he can use them to destabilise McLaren. A close ally has already admitted that Verstappen tried to get in Lewis Hamilton’s head during the 2021 season.

The BBC overheard Verstappen saying ‘off-microphone’, ‘Well, there’s a headline’. That suggests he may have been trying to create controversy deliberately.

Did Max Verstappen deliberately take ‘revenge’ on Lando Norris in Singapore?

Speaking after qualifying in Singapore, Verstappen expressed his frustration with Norris, under the impression that the McLaren driver had affected his lap. He warned that it would be ‘remembered’.

Auto Motor und Sport relay a theory that Verstappen ‘suddenly down’ at the start of the race the following evening in a calculated ‘revenge foul’. Norris hit the back of the RB21 and his evasive action took him into Piastri.

Privately, Verstappen knows a ‘strange’ turnaround is required if he’s to win the championship. That will entail mistakes from the top two, and potentially another retirement.