Brown rocks Red Bull with punchy Verstappen team-mate comment

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has stoked the fire ahead of the opening grand prix of the new F1 season in Australia by criticising Red Bull team principal Christian Horner over his choice of driver for Max Verstappen's team-mate.

After opting to part company with Sergio Perez following a dismal season from the Mexican last year, which cost Red Bull the defence of its constructors' championship, Horner and advisor Helmut Marko promoted Liam Lawson.

The New Zealander was preferred ahead of Yuki Tsunoda, despite only competing in 11 grands prix compared to the Japanese driver's four years of experience.

Horner claimed the choice was made on the data reviewed over the final six races of last year when Lawson and Tsunoda were team-mates at RB following the sacking of Daniel Ricciardo.

It has resulted in a considerable spotlight on Lawson, particularly being team-mate to Verstappen, who has overshadowed all those on the opposite side of the Red Bull garage over the past 10 years.

Heading into the curtain-raiser at Melbourne's Albert Park, Lawson has endured a wretched weekend. After missing FP3 due to a turbo issue, he was dumped out of the first session of qualifying following a scrappy final lap in which he ran wide at Turn 10 and then off track at the penultimate Turn 15, going on to abort the final lap.

The 23-year-old will line up 18th on the grid, 13 places behind Tsunoda, who delivered a superb performance over one lap for Racing Bulls. Tsunoda starts just two places behind Verstappen.

It resulted in Brown being unable to resist taunting Red Bull and Horner over its driver choice.

"Yuki did a great job," said Brown, speaking to Sky Sports F1. "[He is} probably the guy who should be in the Red Bull if you look at how he's performed, but they seem to make some strange driver choices from time to time."