McLaren has undergone a major turnaround in terms of performance in recent years, even winning the Constructors’ Championship in Formula 1 in 2024 and 2025. Therefore, Zak Brown explained what triggered the shift for the Woking team.
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The CEO joined the Woking team back in 2016, taking on the current role in the 2018 season, a time when the British team was facing a difficult period in the category.
Gradually, the recovery was being built and the executive explained that it all happened because the right people were occupying the right places within McLaren.
“It all comes down to the people. When I started, the team had definitely gone through tough times. We were in ninth place in the championship, we didn’t have many partners. Some of our partners were not very happy. Our fans were unhappy, there were intrigues within the team. Apart from that, everything was great,” he explained.
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“What was great was our brand, which was not in a good phase, but you cannot ignore the history and tradition. We knew we had something to work with, many championships and wins in our team, but things just weren’t working well together. So, I really felt that ‘this is very solvable’. Your brand is fundamental, it is what attracts partners and people to work in the team,” he continued.
“We have excellent people in the team, who just needed leadership, guidance, teamwork, and transparency,” he concluded.
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