McLaren boss sympathises with Red Bull mechanics amid Max Verstappen criticism

McLaren boss Andrea Stella sympathises with the Red Bull mechanics amid Max Verstappen’s criticisms of the RB21 Formula 1 car.

The McLaren MCL39 has been the standout performer of the 2025 campaign thus far, which made Verstappen’s victory with the troubled RB21 in Japan all the more surprising.

Such is Verstappen’s confidence, and his obvious talent, the Dutchman made an interesting claim following his win at Suzuka.

Verstappen told Viaplay “you wouldn’t see me anymore” had he been driving the MCL39 in Japan.

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Lando Norris took this as a comment on his and Oscar Piastri’s abilities, responding to Verstappen’s remarks in saying “I don’t care, honestly. Everyone can say what they want and believe what they want.

“I believe both Oscar and myself are good drivers,” Norris added. “[Max is] maybe better at some things, but he is not better in every area.”

Stella, in conversation with Sky Italia, didn’t take Verstappen’s comments as a slight against his drivers, but more a self-reflecting dig at Red Bull’s own prospects.

“I wonder what the Red Bull employees, who work for him, think. Sympathy for them,” Stella remarked.

“He’s very good on the track, in fact he’s superb in the car, but he’s also competent in terms of communication.

“He’s good at throwing fuel on the fire.”

Debating McLaren’s advantage

Piastri saw Verstappen’s remarks in Suzuka as “light-hearted,” acknowledging the importance qualifying held in the Japanese GP result.

“If Max had qualified third and we were first and second, it probably would have looked quite different as well,” the Aussie said.

“So I don’t think it was… yeah, I think it was light-hearted.”

Following Verstappen’s success in Japan, Piastri went on to take back-to-back victories in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia.

The latter saw him beat polesitter Verstappen by just 2.6s.

Norris, meanwhile, struggled in qualifying across the last two GPs, limiting him to third and fourth place finishes and he debated the pace McLaren holds over its rivals.

“Just because we’re quick in practice, people just keep coming up with all this crap,” he said.

“No, I mean, they can keep saying what they want. We don’t believe we’re much ahead, as showed [in Jeddah].”

Piastri disputed this claim, saying “I think our car was still quicker. I think it was difficult to be in dirty air. 

“Max was quicker than I expected for sure in the race. I thought over one lap it wasn’t a huge surprise to see Max quick, but in the race, I wasn’t expecting to struggle so much at the end of the Medium stint, that’s for sure. So clearly we’ve got some work to do. 

“I think our car is still very good, but when you look at the layout here compared to Suzuka, it’s the most similar so far, and it’s been the two where Max and Red Bull have been closer. 

“I think we still have an advantage. 

“I don’t think it’s as big on surfaces like this and layouts like this, but we still have a very strong car at the moment.”

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