Brown calls out Horner and Red Bull: 'They are scared of Verstappen'

Max Verstappen and Lando Norris have long since put their clash at the Austrian Grand Prix behind them, but Zak Brown - Norris' McLaren team boss - apparently hasn't yet. In an interview with British newspaper The Independent, the American criticised Verstappen's attitude in the aftermath of the incident, only to lash out hard at both his team Red Bull Racing and Christian Horner.

It apparently stings for Brown that Verstappen did not openly apologise to Norris for his - in the eyes of the McLaren CEO - unsportsmanlike behaviour during the race at the Red Bull Ring. Moreover, Brown is annoyed with Christian Horner, who already felt Norris was at fault immediately after the collision. "It seems to be that Red Bull are scared of Max," Brown said in the interview. "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?"

Brown called it "inappropriate" for Horner to blame Norris. This is not the first time Brown has been annoyed by his colleague at Red Bull. Two years ago, the American felt Red Bull and Horner had cheated by exceeding the budget cap. "I only respond to things when I think they’re not right," the McLaren boss says of his fractious relationship with Horner.

"I speak up on issues. It just seems I have more issues with him [Christian], more than others, because he says and does stuff I think is wrong," said Brown, who at the time - unlike now - was not fighting with Red Bull on the track. "I was trying to protect the integrity of the sport and they didn’t take it seriously. That’s why I spoke up.”