F1 chief's off-air comment points to seismic change

Laurent Mekies, Zak Brown, Toto Wolff, generic, 2025 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

F1 chief's off-air comment points to seismic change

Mercedes are leading both championships, but could that be about to change?

Kerry Violet F1 News Editor

F1 editor and journalist covering motorsport since 2024.

Thursday 7 May 2026 09:57

An F1 insider has revealed McLaren chief Zak Brown made some rather telling comments off air that signalled his complete faith in his team's ability to bring the fight to Mercedes in 2026.

The Silver Arrows have so far made it clear they are the ones to beat, leading both the constructors' championship and the drivers' standings, with teenage sensation Kimi Antonelli now top of the table.

The 19-year-old became the youngest driver to lead an F1 title fight in the sport's history after the Japanese GP in March, when he picked up his second career victory.

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And last weekend in Miami, Antonelli extended his lead over team-mate George Russell to 20 points, with the Brit appearing to be buckling under the pressure of having to fight Antonelli, who is nine years his senior, for his maiden title.

But Toto Wolff's squad might have a much bigger problem on their hands in the shape of reigning constructors' champions, McLaren.

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F1 insider claims title hopes 'echo' through McLaren

In a recent episode of the F1 Nation podcast following yet another win for Antonelli and Mercedes in Miami, F1 TV presenter Lawrence Barretto revealed that his behind the scenes chats with McLaren CEO Zak Brown had indicated a less than quiet confidence that the papaya squad may have rediscovered their form.

"I did a Q&A with Zak just ahead of the weekend, just before we went on stage. I just asked him, we were just chatting, I was like ‘do you think you can fight for both championships?’ and he was like ‘yeah, I definitely think we can’," Barretto said.

"And Zak doesn’t tend to do that, I don’t think, when you’re just having a chat with him, unless he genuinely believes that they can get in that fight. And I think that belief echoes right through McLaren at the minute.

"And I think when you’ve got that, it’s an incredible strength of yours to be able to have to come to a track, because it’s going to scare everyone else. Because every time you tell them they’re bringing a big upgrade package, you’ve already won slightly because everyone else is like ‘uh-oh.’"

Fans of the recent back-to-back constructors' champions won't have to wait long to see if Barretto's theory checks out, with the upcoming Canadian GP set to see McLaren bring the second part of their Miami update to Montreal, where the development battle will continue.

F1 McLaren Zak Brown Lawrence Barretto