Max Verstappen said Zak Brown could call him "Chucky" after the McLaren chief likened him to a "horror movie" character amid his pursuit of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri in an F1 title race that has gone down to the wire.
Brown made the remark ahead of last week's Qatar Grand Prix, which Verstappen unexpectedly went on to win to set up a three-way showdown in Abu Dhabi this weekend after a McLaren strategy mistake under an early Safety Car cost their drivers.
"He is like that guy in the horror movie who you think is down and then suddenly it's, 'where did he come from?!'" the McLaren chief executive told SportNews F1.
"He is an immense talent, as good as anyone we have ever seen."
Verstappen was ready with a response when he was asked about Brown's comments after a win last Sunday which saw him cut his deficit to Norris to just 12 points.
"He can call me Chucky. Is that short enough for you?" quipped Verstappen.
"I don't know. I saw it as well. I thought it was quite funny."
'Chucky' is the death-defying main villain in the Child's Play movie franchise, first released in 1988.
Asked in the same question whether he thought he had got into McLaren's "heads", Verstappen added: "From my side, I just focus on myself. I know that when I go in the car, I just try to do the best - like, I guess, everyone does.
"But, yeah, that's the only thing I can control, right? And that's the only thing I focus on."
Verstappen's win in Qatar, his fifth in the last eight races, means he goes in to 2025's finale still in with a chance of claiming a record-equalling fifth successive Drivers' Championship.
Having won his 2022, 2023 and 2024 titles with races in the season to spare, it will be just the second final-race showdown of Verstappen's F1 career after the infamous events of Abu Dhabi 2021 when head-to-head against Lewis Hamilton.
Verstappen went into that race level on points with his British rival, but ahead in the standings on results countback, but this time knows that even a race victory will not be enough for the crown if Norris finishes second or third.
However, the Dutchman is taking heart from the events of last Sunday as showing unpredictability could strike this week too.
"I'm a lot more relaxed now. I mean, I know that I'm 12 points down. I go in there with just positive energy," he said.
"I try everything I can. But at the same time, if I don't win it, I still know that I had an amazing season. So, it doesn't really matter. It takes a lot of the pressure off.
"I'm just out there having a good time like I had today. I also started today with, 'we'll see how it goes'.
"I know that when I sit in the car, I always try to maximise everything I can. And that's what I'll try to do in Abu Dhabi, but at the same time, I also know that we need to rely on probably some external factors to have a go at it.
"But a race like today shows that when you think it's going to be boring and straightforward-it's not. So, I'm hoping Abu Dhabi is going to be similar."
Verstappen has mounted an astonishing comeback in a chase for F1's world title which had seemed set to prove an exclusively McLaren affair after the Red Bull driver fell 104 points off the pace after the Dutch Grand Prix on August 31.
"I'm excited. I mean, I'm happy to go there and have a go at it," he added.
"But like I said before, you need to also be realistic, that I think on pure pace, we're not at the same level. But at the same time, when strategy maybe comes into play or making the right calls at the right time, we might have the opportunity."
Thursday December 4
11am: Drivers' Press Conference
2pm: Paddock Uncut
Friday December 5
7am: F2 Practice
9am: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Practice One (session starts at 9.30am)*
10.55am: F2 Qualifying*
11.40am: Team Bosses' Press Conference*
12.45pm: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Practice Two (session starts at 1pm)*
2.15pm: The F1 Show*
Saturday December 6
10.15am: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix Practice Three (session starts at 10.30am)*
12.10pm: F2 Sprint Race*
1.15pm: Abu Dhabi GP Qualifying build-up*
2pm: ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX QUALIFYING*
4pm: Ted's Qualifying Notebook*
Sunday December 7
9.10am: F2 Feature Race
11am: Grand Prix Sunday: Abu Dhabi GP build-up*
1pm: THE ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX*
3pm: Chequered Flag: Abu Dhabi GP reaction*
4pm: Ted's Notebook
*also on SportNews Main Event
The 2025 Formula 1 season concludes with the title-deciding Abu Dhabi Grand Prix live on SportNews F1 from Friday.
