Zak Brown terms Max Verstappen 'the worst loser' on the F1 grid

In a rapid-fire round, McLaren CEO Zak Brown deemed Max Verstappen the worst loser on the F1 grid. He explained that the four-time world champion does not like to lose, which is why he thinks of him as the worst loser.

Verstappen has been fighting head-on with McLaren since last season. He beat Lando Norris to win his fourth title in 2024, but this year, the tables have turned. He is currently at P3 behind both McLaren drivers, Oscar Piastri (P1) and Lando Norris (P2), with 99 points in six races. Moreover, the Dutchman has had multiple heated wheel-to-wheel battles with both Norris and Piastri, giving rise to a new rivalry between Red Bull and McLaren.

Amid this, the Papaya team CEO, Zak Brown, has referred to Verstappen as the 'worst loser'. In a rapid-fire round with ESPN, the CEO claimed that the four-time world champion hates to lose.

"Who is the worst loser?" the host asked.

"Max doesn't like to lose," Brown replied.

Interestingly, Max Verstappen was left fuming at the 2025 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix when the FIA punished him with a five-second time penalty. After coming wheel-to-wheel with Piastri at turn 1 of the opening lap, the Dutchman left the track and rejoined in the lead. The move was deemed illegal by stewards as they dished out a penalty, which cost Verstappen a victory as Oscar grabbed P2 with over a two-second advantage.

Verstappen was annoyed with the decision but expressed his frustration in limited words, fearing another punishment from the FIA for using foul language. However, McLaren stood behind Oscar Piastri, saying he was ahead at the apex and deserved to make the corner.

This battle between Red Bull and McLaren is expected to last until the end of the season, as both teams will fight tooth and nail for the title.

---

Max Verstappen appears annoyed in press conference after Miami GP

Max Verstappen at the F1 Grand Prix of Miami - Source: Getty

Four-time world champion Max Verstappen had a hard time fending off the McLaren drivers as they both passed him before lap 20 of the Miami Grand Prix. He eventually settled for P4 despite starting the race from pole position.

In the post-race press conference, Verstappen was asked if he was predictable or unpredictable to rivals while trying to defend the lead. The Red Bull driver appeared annoyed and told Sky F1 (via Planet F1):

“Why, is that a problem?”

He added that he tried his best to stay ahead of the McLaren, but the pace of the RB21 was nowhere close to enough.

"I mean, I try to do my best. We put ourselves in a good starting position. And I tried to, of course, give it a good battle and have a bit of fun out there as well at the same time. But yeah, we couldn’t keep them behind."

This is the second time in a row that Max Verstappen was unable to convert his pole start into a victory. In the Saudi GP as well, Piastri beat him by fine margins to claim P1.