Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, has claimed that all departments of his Formula 1 team have “World Championship material” after years of investment.
Brown took the helm of the Woking-based team during a period of financial instability last decade and, despite further difficulties, which included rumours of a takeover by Audi, the American’s commercial acumen made McLaren one of the most heavily sponsored teams on the grid.
Once this revenue was secured, a number of infrastructure improvements were made at the McLaren Technology Centre, as well as changes to the management structure and team personnel.
Now that the new signings have settled in, Brown believes all factors are aligned for success in the championship.
“It’s all coming together,” Brown told Motorsport.com in an exclusive interview at the Belgian Grand Prix.
“We have received great investment from our shareholders and sponsors. We have great riders, we have a great technical team and the whole leadership team, the technical team needs the resources, the fan base, the corporate partnership to be able to do what they do.
Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing, celebrates the victory with his team
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
“Andrea uses the term ‘WM material’ and I would like to believe that all departments that contribute directly or indirectly to performance are WM material.”
Brown’s belief is backed up by performances on the track, as the team moves ever closer to Red Bull’s position at the top of the Constructors’ Championship, thanks to Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, both contributing to regular podium finishes with their first F1 wins.
For Norris in particular, victory was a long time coming after numerous near-defeats – not least at the 2021 Russian Grand Prix – and the failure to convert pole position into a triumph.
Since his victory in Miami, Norris’ attitude towards podium finishes seems to have changed from joy to frustration when he doesn’t make it to the top step. When asked what has changed in his driver, Brown said: “I think the ambition to win has only gotten bigger.”
“He’s always been a great driver. The only thing that took so long was for us to give him a car that could win. Now he’s regularly up there with the front runners, so I think the expectations are a lot higher.
“We know that these races are the last ones we come into here with a chance to win every weekend. That brings more excitement, but also higher expectations and more pressure, but we are all enjoying it.”
Lando Norris, McLaren F1 Team, 2nd place, Oscar Piastri, McLaren F1 Team, 1st place, the McLaren Trophy Delegate with the trophies on the podium
Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images
When asked if the team’s attitude had changed in light of the victories achieved, Brown replied: “Yes, that’s true, and only because we have finished second so many times and now we have tasted the taste of victory…”
“Second place is certainly still a fantastic result. We celebrate every podium because it is a great achievement – we don’t take it for granted. But we want to win and we know we are capable of winning.”
“So when we finished second by a second or half a second like this year, like in Imola and so close in Canada, the podium feels a little flatter than it did a few years ago when we were just starting to get on the podium again.”
McLaren’s strategic decisions have been called into question in recent races, a problem highlighted by the perceived operational deficiencies that led to the Norris versus Piastri line-up issues at the Hungarian Grand Prix – a saga that overshadowed the team’s first one-two finish in three years.
Brown attributed the missteps to the team’s new top position, explaining: “I think some of our mistakes this year have been due to the youth of a team that is not yet as consistently competing at the top as we are now.”
“In Silverstone we didn’t optimise everything, in Hungary we managed it in the end, but not without tension. So I think it will just take a little bit longer.”
“I think Toto (Wolff, Mercedes team boss) said it well that sometimes you only learn these things when you’re in the thick of the battle. And now that we’re in the thick of the battle, we’re learning a few things as we go, but that’s OK.”
Lando Norris, McLaren MCL38, Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing RB20, Fernando Alonso, Aston Martin AMR24
Photo by: Sam Bagnall / Motorsport Images
“I always tell the team that mistakes are OK. You just have to learn from them and not make the same mistake twice. That makes you smarter next time.”
“So I’m pretty relaxed about the lessons we’ve learned this year.”
