Verstappen cool amid 'tape-gate' stir as McLaren tension grows

Oct.24 (GMM) The so-called ‘tape-gate’ saga that began on the Austin grid has followed Formula 1 into Mexico City, but Max Verstappen is steering clear of the controversy and of McLaren’s simmering internal drama.

The episode began when a Red Bull mechanic was fined for breaching marshal instructions to peel off a strip of tape McLaren had placed to mark Lando Norris’ grid slot. The harmless-looking act has since snowballed into a paddock talking point over sportsmanship.

“Anyone who needs this kind of tape should use it,” Verstappen shrugged. “I don’t need it.” Williams driver Carlos Sainz, himself a former Red Bull junior, was less amused.

“Obviously someone saw a competitive advantage by trying to take that away from him,” said the Spaniard. “You’re not going to get a headline from me here, but I know values in sport and what I would do if that was me and my team.”

Norris, however, insists he saw the funny side. “It was quite amusing to watch them try and fail to take it off,” he told Bild. “I didn’t even need it, but we put it on the wall just in case. “It wasn’t the first time they’d tried to remove it,” Norris revealed.

“That’s why we made it so strong, like those Formula 1 parking stickers you stick on your windshield and they never come off.”

While the tape drama made headlines, McLaren’s bigger concern remains Verstappen’s relentless charge in the title fight. After recent clashes and pointed comments between teammates, Oscar Piastri confirmed that any internal “consequences” for Norris have now been lifted.

“I think there is a degree of responsibility from my side in the (Austin) sprint,” Piastri admitted. “We’re starting this weekend with a clean slate for both of us, just going out and racing to see who comes out on top.”

Now within touching distance of both McLaren drivers in the standings, Verstappen says he’s staying relaxed. “We’re not too stressed about it,” he said. “We’re just trying to enjoy it, trying to get the most out of it until the end. If it works, amazing. If it doesn’t, we can still be very proud of the upswing in performance that we showed.”

He also dismissed Red Bull adviser Dr Helmut Marko’s claim that the thrill of the chase has unlocked an extra “two-tenths” in his pace. “No, I don’t agree with that,” Verstappen said. “It’s more fun coming to race weekends like this than when you know you have no chance of winning, but I always try to maximise everything when I’m in the car.”

Marko had further hinted that Verstappen might scale back involvement in his GT3 program to keep focus on F1, but the Dutchman pushed back.

“It was planned a long time ago,” he said. “It was just the first opportunity. Nothing has really changed in how professionally I approach my race weekends.”

Bookmakers now rate Verstappen’s championship chances at roughly 40%, though Red Bull boss Laurent Mekies isn’t crunching numbers.

“We don’t do these kinds of calculations,” he said. “It’s just that simple.” And while Mercedes chief Toto Wolff believes Verstappen holds the “psychological” upper hand as the hunter, Fernando Alonso isn’t convinced.

“I don’t think so,” the veteran Spaniard said. “The championship can change completely in an instant. Lando could also win a race by 30 seconds and then Max would be out of the title fight again. “Max is driving fantastically, there’s no doubt, but ultimately the car will decide who becomes world champion.”