The world of Formula 1 has been shocked by McLaren’s unexpected rise to fame this season, especially Zac Brown himself, who never imagined that the Woking-based team would go on to glory during its development phase.
Once a shadow of their former self, McLaren have defied expectations and emerged as genuine title contenders in this year’s fiercely contested season.
The team’s turnaround from being just 42 points behind championship leaders Red Bull in the constructors’ standings during the summer break is nothing short of remarkable.
McLaren’s revival began in earnest last year, culminating in a strong end-of-season push, but few could have predicted the sustained level of performance they have shown in 2024.
Including ten consecutive podium finishes starting in China last April, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have both tasted Grand Prix glory this season – the former in Miami and the latter most recently in Hungary.
“I would be lying if I were sitting here and said I wasn’t surprised,” Brown explained. BBC Sport. “We felt like we could continue to close the gap.
“I thought we’d be here on summer break, with one race left to go to get the lead. That race would have to be one, two, fastest lap, and that would be it? No.
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“But if we keep the same trajectory as we have in the last six or seven races, we will be where we need to be by the end of the year.
“I thought I’d be where I am now by 2025. I didn’t think I’d be where I am now by 2024, but I’m not complaining.”
Despite their impressive form, McLaren face a formidable challenge from Red Bull. The reigning world champions have been hampered by Sergio Perez’s instability, but Max Verstappen’s dominance means they cannot be ignored.
So despite the team’s current strength and momentum, Brown is cautious about declaring McLaren champions for the first time since 1998.
“I think it’s going to be tough. I think it’s going to be the last race. There’s not a lot of difference between the cars,” the American said.
“It depends on how Sergio Perez performs. If he performs as well as he can, it’s going to be a tough fight. If he continues to perform like he has this year, we’ll have a pretty good chance.”
The battle for the drivers’ championship is also heating up, with Lando Norris emerging as a genuine threat to Max Verstappen. However, the McLaren driver, like the team, has made some key mistakes this season that have hampered his title aspirations.
“We’ve all made mistakes, and I think it’s been a learning experience,” Brown said. “Maybe we got to where we are sooner than we thought, so it shows that we still have a lot to learn.
“We should have been first and second at Silverstone. Lando is fighting for the world championship. He is learning and so are we.”
With ten races remaining, the 2024 Formula 1 season promises to be a thrilling climax. McLaren’s resurgence and Mercedes’ comeback have injected new life into the championship race, adding unexpected excitement to the final stretch of the campaign.
