Formula 2 driver Richard Verschoor has explained how he approached McLaren boss Zak Brown directly in the paddock to secure his place in the team’s young driver programme after finishing third in the 2025 championship

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(Image: Bryn Lennon – Formula 1, Formula 1 via Getty Images)

Richard Verschoor, among several new recruits to McLaren’s young driver programme following the season finale in Abu Dhabi, has opened up about his bold approach to team boss Zak Brown in the paddock that sparked his switch to the Woking outfit.

The 25-year-old Dutchman has carved out his junior racing career without the safety net of a Formula One academy programme. Without a clear route to the pinnacle of European open-wheel motorsport, Verschoor spent five years competing in Formula Two, claiming at least one victory each season.

A stellar four-win season thrust Verschoor into championship contention in 2025, though he ultimately finished third behind Leonardo Fornaroli and Jak Crawford. McLaren subsequently secured both him and the F2 champion Fornaroli for their young driver roster.

Speaking to the F2 website about the encounter that kick-started his McLaren journey, Verschoor explained: “Once I saw Zak, I decided to walk up to him. I went without anyone telling me to do so, without any idea of what it could bring, and look what it brought.

“Now we are only getting started, but it’s a nice step, and I am very proud to be part of McLaren. I said it to my mates two or three years ago, if I could choose one F1 team, it would be McLaren. So it’s very nice that it all came together like this. After getting an opportunity with MP, starting a fifth season, which many people didn’t like, to end it this way is very nice.”

With Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri secured on long-term deals, a move up to F1 seems improbable for Verschoor. However, the Utrecht-born racer still has the chance to chase opportunities within McLaren’s IndyCar and World Endurance Championship programmes.

Verschoor is optimistic that his unorthodox path to the elite level can serve as motivation for aspiring young racers. “I think, to be honest, I hope people see that if you really want something and you go all in, it’s possible,” he said.

“It doesn’t mean that it happens straight away. But if you really hold on to something that you believe can happen, and for me it was always to be part of a big team, a big manufacturer, a big family, it was always my dream.”

He may now be in line to take advantage of McLaren’s young driver FP1 sessions in 2026. Alex Dunne and Pato O’Ward fulfilled those duties in 2025, though the Irish driver was surprisingly dropped from the team’s development scheme towards the end of last year.