McLaren Racing boss Zak Brown couldn’t hide his delight after Sunday’s “amazing and unbelievable” Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that saw Lando Norris secure the 2025 F1 World Championship.
From a nail-biting race strategy to edge-of-your-seat moments on track, Brown and team principal Andrea Stella reflected on a perfect conclusion to a stellar season.
For McLaren’s chief executive, the result was the culmination of a long and challenging season that saw Norris battle fiercely against Max Verstappen and Red Bull, as well as teammate Oscar Piastri.
“Just amazing. That was an unbelievable race, edge of your seat stuff,” Brown said.
“Charles was in our DRS, close call with Yuki. Oscar drove brilliantly, Max is a machine, so to beat Max and an awesome team like Red Bull is such an accomplishment. Racing with Lando and Oscar, you couldn't ask for a better driver line-up.”
The American highlighted the myriad challenges the team navigated on race day.
“The pit stops and then having to cover Leclerc, there's just so many things that can go wrong and everything went right. It's a long season,” he added.
McLaren clinched back-to-back Constructors’ titles this year, but the Drivers’ Championship – a prize they hadn’t secured since Lewis Hamilton in 2008 – was particularly sweet.
“You're always asked what's more important and I can tell you the stress and desire to win the Drivers' Championship was every bit as high [as the Constructors'],” Brown added.
“So rewarding, so happy for the team and both our drivers. I'm looking forward to coming back and racing next year.”
Strategic Brilliance From the Pit Wall
While Verstappen and Piastri executed one-stop strategies, Norris was tasked with a two-stop approach, adding another layer of complexity. The Briton had to navigate traffic after his first pit stop, then manage a defensive second stop to hold off Charles Leclerc.
Stella described the challenge of deciding the right approach: “The chat at the pit wall was that we just have to cover Leclerc and we kind of go to our defensive, responsive strategy.”
The McLaren strategy also involved splitting Norris and Piastri onto different starting tyres to try and counter Verstappen’s pace.
“With Oscar, we tried to go as long as possible [on the hard], see if we could catch a Safety Car and then see at the end with the medium tyres if we could go and catch Verstappen, but Verstappen was once again too fast and he deserved the victory,” the Italian explained.
Despite the obstacles, Norris executed his strategy perfectly, and McLaren’s careful planning and quick thinking at the pit wall proved decisive in securing the Drivers’ crown.
With both championships now in their trophy cabinet, McLaren celebrate not just a season of speed and skill, but a year of tactical brilliance, teamwork, and perseverance.
For Brown and Stella, the triumph is a testament to both their drivers’ talent and the unwavering dedication of the entire McLaren squad.
“Everything went right,” Brown concluded – a sentiment that perfectly encapsulates a remarkable championship season for the Woking outfit.
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