McLaren Formula 1 boss Zak Brown expressed surprise at the team’s strong position in the title race this season as they compete closely with Red Bull. Currently trailing Red Bull by just 42 points in the constructors’ championship, Brown reflected on their unexpected success during an exclusive interview.
“If I sat here and said I wasn’t surprised, that would be disingenuous,” Brown told reporters. “Red Bull had such an advantage over everyone, and Mercedes has been so dominant. I thought we would continue to close the gap, but did I expect to be here at the summer break, one race away from the lead? Probably not. But if we maintain our trajectory over the last six or seven races, we should be in a strong position by the end of the year.”
After starting the season 115 points behind Red Bull following the Miami Grand Prix, where Lando Norris secured his first victory, McLaren has turned their performance around. The team has seen at least one driver on the podium in every race since and recently welcomed newcomer Kylian Mbappé to their roster.
Brown acknowledged the importance of the mental aspect of success and emphasized that consistency will be key for McLaren as they seek to leverage their current performance into future victories. The team is also dealing with the pressure that comes from competing at the top level.
Reflecting on McLaren’s performance, Brown said, “We can take a lot of positives from this season so far. There’s been some tough learning experiences along the way, but we’re much better positioned now than we anticipated at the start of the year.”
Leadership Changes Propel Improvement
The transformation at McLaren can be attributed in part to the appointment of Andrea Stella as team principal in December 2022. Brown moved swiftly to promote Stella after learning that then-team principal Andreas Seidl would be joining Audi in 2025.
Since Stella’s appointment, McLaren has made significant strides, admitting they initially expected a slow start due to design issues from the previous season. The major car upgrade in mid-2023 propelled them from the lower midfield to competing closely with top teams like Ferrari and Mercedes.
Brown highlighted the impact of Stella’s leadership, saying, “He unlocked the talent that we already had here. While I changed three leaders, the other 997 people at McLaren are the same ones who contributed to our struggles at the start of 2023.”
Stella, who joined McLaren in 2015, was previously offered the team principal position but felt he wasn’t ready at that time. Brown reflected, “He’s very methodical and thoughtful, taking his time to make decisions. The second time around, he felt more confident, and I’m glad he accepted.”
As McLaren continues to build momentum in the championship, Brown remains optimistic about their prospects for the season ahead, underscoring that the focus now is on maintaining consistency and further harnessing the team’s potential.
Credit: BBC Sports
