Max Verstappen makes stance clear on McLaren chief Zak Brown as cheating row continues ahead of US Grand Prix

Max Verstappen has revealed he’s got no issue with Zak Brown but believes the McLaren chief ‘doesn’t like’ Christian Horner amid the ongoing cheating row ahead of the US Grand Prix.

Both McLaren and Red Bull are currently fighting it out for F1 glory, with Verstappen currently 54 points ahead of Lando Norris.

Both Brown and Horner have been involved in a war of words this week over Red Bull’s ride-height device.

After complaints from F1 rivals, the FIA agreed to check the legality of the device – with Red Bull since agreeing a plan to make alterations to their car without being punished.

Horner has said the FIA only intervened due to the ‘paranoia’ and ‘moaning’ from Red Bull’s rivals.

Verstappen, speaking after qualifying for the US Grand Prix, was quizzed on the situation.

And the defending F1 champion, talking to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf, has refused to get too involved.

“It’s not necessarily McLaren, it’s more Zak,” he said.

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“He doesn’t like Christian and vice versa, I think. But the fact they don’t like each other is not my problem.

“I have a fine relationship with Zak. It’s not that we call each other, but I just saw him, and then it’s all good.”

Verstappen then distanced himself from the row further, with the Dutchman adding: “I’ll see and read about it, but after that, I’ll close it and go and watch MotoGP or something.

“I really don’t care.”

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The FIA have concluded that the matter is closed due to there being no evidence of cheating.

Brown, however, isn’t so sure and has called for Red Bull to issue legally binding statements.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, he said: “I’d like to see the senior leadership, the former chief mechanics and the current mechanics sign an affidavit stating that they have never used or have no knowledge of it being used.

“The suggestion in the pit lane from a handful of people is that it has been used in that manner, so the only way to bottom it out is the old-fashioned ‘sign here’, stating what has gone on.

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“I know if I was presented with an affidavit and the consequences of not telling the truth were severe, I’d tell the truth.

“I am confident the matter is dealt with going forward. But if they have done it in the past, there is no grey area about it. Modifying your car in parc ferme is as clear a breach of the regulations as possible.

“And look at the wording of their denial about the device being inaccessible when the car is prepared to go racing.

“Well, the car isn’t fully prepared to go racing in parc ferme. Many things can be changed. You can pull the seat out, you can adjust the pedals.”

Brown also wants Red Bull to be punished severely if found to have broken the rules.

“It needs to be a deterrent,” he said.

“We have seen drivers excluded from races and championships. And I am not saying Max should be excluded, by the way. We have seen teams excluded from races and championships.

“If, and I say ‘if’, parc ferme rules have been broken, the penalty needs to be of that magnitude, depending on whether they did it once or have been doing it regularly for three years. There must be consequences.”