The 2025 Formula 1 World Championship has evolved from a simple race for points into a psychological battlefield, and just as the dust was settling on the neon-soaked streets of Las Vegas, a new storm arrived. This time, it wasn’t a crash on the track or a steward’s decision that shook the paddock—it was a voice from the sidelines that carries the weight of a dynasty. Jos Verstappen, father of four-time world champion Max Verstappen, has stepped out of the shadows to deliver a scathing critique of McLaren, dropping a series of bombshells that question the team’s competence, their technical legality, and perhaps most explosively, the equality of their two drivers.
As the circus heads to the Qatar Grand Prix with only two races remaining, the stakes could not be higher. Three drivers remain in contention for the ultimate prize, but the momentum has shifted violently following the dramatic events in Las Vegas. What was meant to be a celebration of McLaren’s pace—finishing second and fourth on the road—turned into a nightmare when both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were disqualified for excessive plank wear. The result tore up the classification, erased their hard-earned points, and left the championship door wide open. Max Verstappen, previously thought to be on the back foot, is now level on points with Piastri and just 24 points adrift of Norris.
It is into this vacuum of uncertainty that Jos Verstappen has inserted himself, and he has not held back. His comments suggest that McLaren’s recent failures are not merely bad luck but the result of deeper, potentially systemic issues within the Woking-based squad.
The “Arrogance” That Fueled a Champion
The friction began with a simple radio message broadcast during the heat of the Las Vegas Grand Prix. McLaren, sensing an opportunity to assert dominance, issued a command to Lando Norris: “Go and get Max.” To the outside world, it was a rallying cry. To the Verstappen camp, it was interpreted as a moment of hubris—a poke at a sleeping bear.
Jos Verstappen pinpointed this moment as a critical psychological turning point. According to the elder Verstappen, hearing that command didn’t intimidate his son; it emboldened him. “This just gives Max extra positive energy,” Jos remarked, suggesting that the team’s overt confidence has provided Max with the precise kind of fuel he thrives on. For a driver like Max, who has spent the last few years dominating the sport, being hunted is nothing new. But being dismissed or treated as a mere target to be “gotten” appears to have flipped a switch.
Jos elaborated that the subsequent disqualification of the very cars that were supposed to “get” Max adds a layer of irony that will only make McLaren more nervous. “They can’t afford anything more now,” he warned. The implication is clear: McLaren tried to play the role of the aggressor, but in doing so, they may have woken up the most dangerous version of Max Verstappen—one with renewed motivation and a point to prove.
A “Huge Blunder” or a Calculated Risk?
Beyond the psychological warfare, Jos Verstappen took aim at the technical failure that led to McLaren’s double disqualification. The issue of excessive plank wear—essentially the floor of the car rubbing away too much against the track surface—is a black-and-white rule in Formula 1. You are either legal, or you are out. For a top-tier team fighting for a championship to suffer this on both cars is almost unheard of in the modern era.
Jos labeled the incident a “huge mistake” and a “huge blunder,” but he didn’t stop at calling it an error. He floated a more provocative theory: necessity. He questioned whether McLaren pushed the ride height limits so aggressively because they had no choice. “Maybe the car simply wouldn’t perform as well otherwise and they’d have to do this,” Jos speculated.
This comment cuts to the heart of McLaren’s recent resurgence. It asks whether their newfound speed is genuine or if it relies on skirting the razor’s edge of legality to make the car work. If the latter is true, the team now faces a terrifying dilemma for the final races in Qatar and Abu Dhabi: raise the ride height to ensure legality and lose performance, or risk another disqualification to keep pace with Red Bull. Jos believes there is “something not quite right” beneath the surface, casting a shadow of doubt over the legitimacy of the machinery Norris and Piastri are driving.
The “Sliding” Car: A Conspiracy of Inequality?
Perhaps the most damaging of Jos’s insinuations revolves around the performance disparity between the two McLaren drivers. Lando Norris has been on a tear, looking every bit the title contender. In stark contrast, Oscar Piastri, who earlier in the season looked unshakable and even led the standings by 34 points, has seen his form collapse. He has now gone six races without a podium, a slump that has seen a 58-point swing in Norris’s favor.
Jos claims to have spotted a visual reason for this on the track, something that goes beyond driver confidence. “You can see a clear difference between the two McLarens on the track,” he stated. “One slides, the other doesn’t.”
This observation is explosive. In a sport where teams constantly pledge equal treatment for their drivers, the suggestion that one car is handling perfectly while the other is struggling for grip “raises questions,” as Jos put it. He openly pondered whether this difference comes down to setup choices, driving style, or “something more controversial.”
The timing of Piastri’s decline coincides perfectly with Norris’s ascent to the top of the standings. While McLaren Team Principal Andrea Stella has bent over backwards to publicly support both drivers and apologize for the Vegas errors, the seed of doubt has been planted. Is the team, consciously or unconsciously, focusing its engineering might on Norris to secure the Drivers’ Championship? Or has the pressure simply cracked the young Australian? Jos’s comments force fans and pundits to look closer at the onboard footage, to scrutinize the telemetry, and to wonder if the playing field within the papaya garage is as level as they claim.
The Dangerous “Nothing to Lose” Mindset
While analyzing McLaren’s woes, Jos also painted a picture of the threat coming from his own garage. Max Verstappen, written off by many just weeks ago as the McLaren surge seemed unstoppable, is now back in the hunt with a mindset that should terrify his rivals.
“Max has nothing to lose,” Jos declared. Unlike Norris, who is trying to protect a lead and secure a maiden title, and Piastri, who is fighting to save his reputation and second place, Max is free. He can go “all out on the attack.” Jos described this as the “most dangerous version” of his son. When a driver of Max’s caliber is released from the burden of expectation and allowed to drive purely on instinct and aggression, he is a formidable force.
The math supports this aggressive approach. If Max wins the remaining races, the pressure on Norris to finish second every time becomes immense. One slip-up, one mechanical failure, or one mental error from Norris could hand the trophy to Verstappen. And as Jos noted, Max already knew the Vegas disqualification was coming before he even left the track, displaying a calm confidence that contrasts sharply with the panic likely engulfing McLaren.
The Finale Awaits
As the paddock prepares for the Qatar Grand Prix, the narrative has shifted from a celebration of a three-way fight to a tense, suspicion-filled standoff. Jos Verstappen’s words have acted as a match to a powder keg. He has effectively challenged the FIA to watch McLaren closely, challenged McLaren to prove their cars are legal and equal, and challenged the fans to question the narrative they are being fed.
Is Jos seeing things that no one else dares to mention? Is there truly a technical disparity between the two McLarens that explains Piastri’s slide? Or is this simply a masterclass in distraction tactics from the Verstappen camp designed to destabilize their rivals at the critical moment?
Whatever the truth, the “haunting echo” of the Las Vegas radio call continues to reverberate. McLaren wanted a fight with Max Verstappen, and they have certainly got one. But with accusations of blunders, unfairness, and “extra motivation” now in the mix, the end of the 2025 season promises to be not just a battle for speed, but a war for the truth. The title fight has been reignited, not just by points, but by doubt, drama, and the whispers of a father who knows exactly how to win. Qatar will reveal who cracks first.
