Brown surprised by McLaren’s breakout success in F1

McLaren’s unexpected rise to prominence this season has caught the world of Formula 1 by surprise, including Zak Brown himself who never imagined the Woking-based outfit gunning for glory at this stage of the team’s development.

Once a shadow of its former self, McLaren has defied expectations to emerge as a genuine title contender in this year’s closely disputed season.

Just 42 points adrift in the Constructors’ standings of championship leaders Red Bull at the summer break, the team’s turnaround has been nothing short of spectacular.

McLaren’s resurgence began in earnest last year, culminating in a strong end-of-season push. However, few could have predicted the sustained level of performance they have demonstrated in 2024.

Amid a string of ten consecutive podium finishes that started in China last April, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have both tasted Grand Prix glory this season, the former in Miami and the latter more recently in Hungary.

“If I were to sit here and say I’m not surprised, that would be disingenuous,” Brown explained, talking to BBC Sport. “I felt like we’d continue to close the gap.

“Did I think we would be here at the summer break, one race away from getting the lead - that race would have to be the first and second and fastest lap, and do I think it’s going to happen like that? No.

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“But if we keep the same trajectory we’ve been on the last six, seven races, we’ll be where we need to be by the end of the year.

“I thought we might get where we are now by 2025. I didn’t think we would be where we are now in 2024, but I’m not complaining.”

Despite their impressive form, McLaren face a formidable challenge in the shape of Red Bull. The reigning world champions have been hampered by inconsistencies from Sergio Perez, but Max Verstappen’s dominance means they cannot be discounted.

Brown is therefore wary of declaring McLaren champions-elect for the first time since 1998, even despite the team’s current strength and momentum.

"It's going to be tough. I think it's going to come down to the last race. There's not much between the cars,” commented the American.

“It's gonna come down to how does Sergio Perez perform? If he can perform as he's capable of performing, it's going to be a hard fight. If he continues to perform as he has this year, we 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 his team – has made some crucial errors this season, hindering his title aspirations.

“We’ve all made a variety of errors, which to me are learning experiences,” Brown stated. “I think maybe because we have got where we are quicker than we thought, it shows we still have learning to do.

“We probably should have finished first and second at Silverstone. Lando is trying to fight for a world championship. He’s learning, as are we.”

With ten races remaining, the 2024 Formula 1 season promises to be a thrilling climax. McLaren’s resurgence, coupled with Mercedes’ own turnaround, has breathed new life into the championship battle and added an unexpected layer of intrigue to the final stretch of the campaign.

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