McLaren F1 News: Zak Brown outlines historic return with outlandish claim

Zak Brown, McLaren, Abu Dhabi, 2023, generic — Photo: © IMAGO

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McLaren chief outlines historic F1 RETURN with outlandish claim

Are McLaren on the verge of a return to glory?

Rhys Thomas

Saturday 17 August 2024 10:57 Updated: 16:07

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McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has made a bold claim relating to a historic return for the team.

The American has been delighted to see his team continue its huge leap forward since a dismal start to 2023.

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The Woking-based outfit lie just 42 points behind Red Bull in the constructors' standings, and have closed the gap in recent races.

Both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have secured their maiden wins this calendar year, and Brown is backing the entire team to achieve even bigger things.

McLaren's drivers are hunting Red Bull down in the constructors' title race

Oscar Piastri took his maiden F1 win in Hungary

Can McLaren win a world championship again?

McLaren now lie closer to seasonal silverware than they have in over a decade.

Their last title came in the drivers' championship with Lewis Hamilton in 2008, when the then-young Brit secured his first of seven titles in his sophomore season in the sport.

Before that, McLaren won consecutive titles with Mika Hakkinen in 1998 and 1999, including the double in the former year.

Their golden era came in the 1980s with legendary drivers Niki Lauda, Alain Prost, and Ayrton Senna.

Silverware has been hard to come by in recent years, with just three race wins since 2012.

Zak Brown believes all departments at McLaren are 'world championship material'

McLaren's last drivers' title came in 2008 with Lewis Hamilton

However, Brown is backing his papaya army to return to the glory of those historic days.

"It's all coming together," he told Motorsport at the Belgian Grand Prix.

"We've got our great investment from our shareholders and our sponsors. We've got great drivers, we've got a great technical team, and the entire leadership team, the technical team need the resources, the fan base, the corporate partner base in order to be able to do what they're doing."

McLaren's recent upturn in form cannot be disputed, with all areas of the operation seeming to be working in harmony. Brown went a step further, though, claiming every department had 'world championship material'.

"Andrea [Stella, McLaren team principal] uses the term 'world championship material' and I'd like to think all departments, which feed into performance, either directly or indirectly, are all world championship material," he said.

With ten races to go in the 2024 season, McLaren are on cusp of realising that world championship potential. If they can catch Red Bull and get over the line, Brown's claim will be vindicated.