Max Verstappen offers bold stance on potential McLaren weakness

Max Verstappen has offered a bold stance on a potential McLaren weakness, in that it has the "distraction" of having to focus on both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri. 

Just a point separates Norris and Piastri ahead of this weekend's São Paulo Grand Prix, while Verstappen finds himself 36 points adrift and closing. 

Since Red Bull introduced a new floor in Monza, Verstappen has reduced his deficit to the top of the standings in every race. 

The Austrian outfit are fully focused on his late pursuit of a record-equalling fifth consecutive F1 drivers' title, a very different approach to McLaren who are continuing to treat both Norris and Piastri as equals. 

It has proven to be a difficult challenge to manage for McLaren team principal Andrea Stella and CEO Zak Brown, as highlighted by its drivers colliding in both Singapore and Austin. 

However, it is a situation Verstappen has insisted he would happily face, if it meant he had McLaren's package which has dominated much of the season.

Asked if having Red Bull's full focus on him is an advantage, Verstappen told select media including RacingNews365: "I think, in a way, of course, it's nice.  

"But of course, being part of the team already for a very long time, you get to know each other really well. We've had already a lot of success together. So yeah, there is an opportunity, of course, that we can win it. So we are going for it all in.

"For sure, the distraction, maybe it's a little bit there at McLaren between the two drivers, but at the same time, they still have a very fast car. So if you would tell me what I would like to have, give me the distraction. 

"I don't care anyway, you just give me the fastest car and I'll drive it as fast as it needs to be. It can be nice for me, but at the same time, we just need to make sure that we have a faster car. We need to be ahead of them. It's as simple as that."