With Formula 1 in the middle of the annual Summer Shutdown, McLaren CEO Zak Brown penned an open letter to the team’s fans. The team is enjoying a tremendous season, punctuated by Lando Norris’s win at the Hungarian Grand Prix. That marked the team’s 200th Grand Prix victory in F1, joining Ferrari as the only two constructors to reach that milestone.
With teammate Oscar Piastri finishing second, it marked the seventh one-two finish from the team this season, the most for the team since Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost in 1988.
McLaren is also 299 points ahead of second-place Ferrari in the Constructors’ Championship race, giving them a massive advantage in that fight.
However, the Drivers’ Championship battle is a much closer race, with Piastri just nine points ahead of Norris. How McLaren balances two title contenders has been a major storyline this season, and Brown took a moment to address that situation in his open letter.
“It’s been a fantastic start. And while it’s too early to say it’s a two-horse race – because you can never count out the opposition – it’s certainly a great opportunity for one of our drivers to go on and win the World Championship,” began Brown.
“When it comes to fighting for a world title between team-mates, everyone has a different perspective – and some people can be critical – so it’s important for me to clarify a few things. Firstly, I’ve said it before, but I truly believe we have the best driver line-up in Formula 1, and I wouldn’t trade it for any other,” continued Brown.
“Secondly, when you have two drivers going head-to-head for the World Championship, there’s naturally a lot of excitement – and we share that excitement. There’s nothing we like more than watching these guys battle it out. So may the best man win,” added the McLaren boss.
“Of course, we recognise that incidents have happened and will happen again. It’s all about how well you’re prepared for those moments and how you deal with them. I think [the Canadian Grand Prix] was a shining example of how well everyone handled the situation. We know the risk of not throwing our weight behind one driver, but we will give Oscar and Lando equal opportunity to fight it out on track to win the Drivers’ World Championship.”
In the Canadian Grand Prix, Piastri and Norris were locked in a battle for fourth in the late stages. Norris attempted an overtake of his teammate but made contact with the rear of Piastri’s car, bringing his race to an early end. Piastri managed to hold on for fourth.
It was a moment between the pair that many expected to arrive, given how dominant McLaren has been this season. But in Brown’s mind, it was a positive for the team, as it gave McLaren a chance to move on while raising the “confidence” of the team.
“I think Montreal was actually a nice moment for all of us, in hindsight, that it just kind of took the air out of the balloon and we just kind of got it over with and everyone was talking about it,” Brown explained in July.
“I kind of feel like it’s raised everyone’s confidence and comfort of, ‘It’s happened, it was a mistake’, so I think we’ll see other incidents in the near future, but there will be racing mistakes and racing mistakes are going to happen.”
Returning to his open letter, Brown believes the “benefits of racing” outweigh any potential pitfalls, even if incidents like what happened in Montreal can take place.
“That’s exciting for us, and for the sport. We believe the benefits of racing this way far outweigh the consequences – despite the fact we know incidents can happen. I’m not naive. The adrenaline and pressure will rise, but the team will continue to work in harmony and manage the situations as they come. It’s shaping up to be a fantastic end to the year. I can’t wait to get back on track once the summer shutdown is over,” wrote Brown.
The F1 season continues at the end of the month with the Dutch Grand Prix, a race Norris won last season.
