McLaren "laser-focused" on F1 as Le Mans and WEC bids take backseat

McLaren

McLaren "laser-focused" on F1 as Le Mans and WEC bids take backseat

McLaren's finances dictating the team's future track targets

Ian Parkes

Wednesday 10 March 2021 09:29

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has dismissed the prospect of a tilt at Le Mans or WEC in the near future as the team is "laser-focused" on Formula 1.

Following a difficult 2020 for McLaren Group as a company that led to a £150million loan being taken out, a £185m cash injection from an American investment firm, and with a deal now close for the MTC, it is ensuring it does not over-reach itself with other projects beyond F1.

While it is committed to its IndyCar programme for commercial and strategic reasons, venturing beyond that and F1 is off McLaren's radar at present.

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Asked whether McLaren would extend its racing activities to include WEC or Le Mans, the latter in particular due to the introduction of the Hypercar category, Brown replied: “We could and we might.

"But right now we continue to be, and always will be, laser-focused on Formula 1. That’s the most important racing activity in McLaren’s world.

“We’ve added IndyCar successfully to our program and that is really to cover off the North American marketplace for our partners.

"We’ve been able to bring our title sponsor, Arrow Electronics, over from our IndyCar team to join us in Formula 1, so all roads lead to supporting our Formula 1 effort.

“WEC and Le Mans are of interest to us but it has to be the right time, right place, right resources. It needs to stand on its own two feet and it’s still early days.

"While being under review, we want to make sure we continue to invest everything we have in our Formula 1 team before we take on any incremental efforts.”

After finishing third in last year's constructors' standings, the team's highest position since 2012, Brown's own focus is trained on catching Mercedes and Red Bull.

"We are going to keep our eyes on all the competition," added Brown. "I think it would be naïve to underestimate any of the competition that was so close last year.

"But our goal is to close the gap to the front. We are not focused on any one particular team or who has got what power, or the best of the customer teams.

"We have one target in mind and that is closing the gap to the front teams.”