Max Verstappen ‘unquestionably’ races McLaren drivers differently

Max Verstappen “unquestionably” races Oscar Piastri differently to Lando Norris, it has been claimed. 

That is the view of Sky Sports F1’s Martin Brundle, who is convinced that Red Bull’s Verstappen takes a different approach to going wheel-to-wheel with Piastri than his does with McLaren teammate Norris.

In the last two races alone, Piastri has got the better of Verstappen by forcing the four-time world champion into mistakes during the heat of battle.

Verstappen, who is notoriously hard to overtake, copped a penalty in Saudi Arabia after he cut the first chicane to retain track position over Piastri, who then cleverly passed the Dutchman at Turn 1 in Miami on his way to claiming a third consecutive victory.

Asked if Verstappen races Piastri differently to how he races Norris, Brundle replied: “100 per cent. Unquestionably

“I think he [Verstappen] knows that there’s something a bit more street fighter about Oscar Piastri. He saw it in Jeddah.

“Max knows he got a different animal than Lando when Oscar is in his mirrors - not by much than Lando. Just positioning the car, there’s a decisiveness about what he did.”

Norris lost places on the opening lap when he challenged polesitter Verstappen into Turn 1, and lost crucial time when he eventually got past his rival later in the race, enabling Piastri to open up a buffer in the lead.

“You can’t criticise Lando’s racecraft, because the way he passed the Mercedes and eventually passed Max was just top drawer,” Brundle added.

“But I have absolutely no doubt that Max realises that Oscar is a different deal in wheel-to-wheel combat.”

Brundle also praised the way in which Piastri decisively battled past Verstappen by forcing him into an error.

“He basically ended up forcing Max [into a mistake],” Brundle said.

“Oscar just dollied him up a treat. Max was tight into Turn 1, on the dirty line, has to brake late.

“Oscar saw it all unfolding, actually had to turn left a little bit. He realised that Max was going to slide, and that is sort of driving somebody else’s car as well as driving your own car.

“He just had a little jink left, ducked underneath and disappeared. That was all one big cunning plan which came to fruition nicely.”

Oscar Piastri learning how to beat Max Verstappen

Speaking after extending his championship lead over Norris to 16 points after winning four of the opening six races in 2025, Piastri said he is learning how to get the better of Verstappen, who is 32 points adrift in third place.

"I'm starting to understand what you can and can't do around Max. In Saudi I did what I needed to, to win myself the race," Piastri told Sky Sports F1.

"Even though it took me a fair few laps to get past him, that was probably as efficient as I could have overtaken him," said Piastri.

"I learned through my years of watching Max and racing against him that being on his outside is not a very fun place and I had to try something different. It felt like a matter of when, rather than if, but I had to pick my moment wisely."