The beauty of Formula 1 lies in watching well-known car manufacturers and teams compete for the top prizes.
While the sport has often been dominated by certain manufacturers in different eras, over the past 18 months, a former powerhouse has reestablished itself at the pinnacle of Grand Prix racing: McLaren.
After a sharp decline in competitiveness during the 2014 hybrid-era regulations, Zak Brown joined as CEO in 2018, and the team has never looked back.
Zak Brown reveals the depth of McLaren’s struggles
Andrea Stella, Oscar Piastri, Zak Brown, and Lando Norris | McLaren Press Image
Brown’s appointment arrived when McLaren appeared at its lowest. The Woking-based marque finished sixth in 2016, followed by ninth in the 2017 Constructors’ standings.
The darkest times for a Formula 1 giant were apparent, but Brown had to take drastic financial moves to stop the team from going bankrupt during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Nobody knew which way to row. Sponsorship and morale were at rock bottom. We were losing £125m a year. Everyone said we were finished, that we were stinking the place out,” Brown shared in an exclusive interview with The Telegraph.
Brown shared that McLaren “were weeks away from not making payroll.” As a result, as The Telegraph stated, McLaren earned a loan from the Bank of Bahrain, a new investment private equity firm (MSP Sports Capital), and a £170m sale and leaseback of Norman Foster-designed headquarters.
Brown’s business acumen has propelled McLaren to the forefront of commercial success in Formula 1, drawing high-profile sponsors like Salesforce, Google, Alteryx, and Mastercard.
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While those sponsors see the team generating £300 million a year, financial success isn’t the only factor behind McLaren’s resurgence.
The car’s performance has also improved following the promotion of Andrea Stella from Racing Director to Team Principal in 2023, helping build a championship-winning car that could deliver McLaren back-to-back Constructors’ Championships for the first time since 1988 and 1989.
Brown and Stella have played a key role in changing the culture within the British outfit, which has transformed rapidly, resulting in the production of one of the most dominant cars in recent memory. With the driver pairing of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, McLaren is now on the verge of a 1-2 finish in the championship, with Norris in pole position to take his maiden title.
From its darkest days to its current dominance, McLaren has come a long way. Next season, the 2026 regulatory cycle marks a new era where the team enters as the clear one to beat.
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