“I think it was awesome to see all of them there, but to see Lewis and Fernando show up to show their support of McLaren is awesome.
“They’re busy guys, and wearing other team shirts, so certainly it was nothing that they had to do – it was something they wanted to do.
“I’m very appreciative of everyone that was there, but Lewis and Fernando, I appreciate their teams allowing them to come and support a McLaren event.”
Indeed, there were times in the past when the prospect of Ferrari co-operating with McLaren was unlikely to say the least, such was the level of rivalry between the teams and their respective managements.
Brown sees the presence of Hamilton and Alonso as a sign of a new spirit of co-operation – teams can fight hard on track and yet still work together for the greater good.
“I think that’s what we need to do more of in the sport, is be at times maybe a little bit more sporting, and recognise the history,” he said. “So that was really cool. I appreciate all the coverage it got.”
Meanwhile, McLaren still have their eyes firmly fixed on both the present and the future, also using the 1000th race weekend to showcase their brand-new hospitality base.
Getting the impressive facility set up for the first time in the tight confines of the Monaco paddock was no easy task.
“Our new team hub,” said Brown. “Congratulations to our team for putting this together, making it a better working environment for everyone. I’m just very happy with where the sport has been, and where it’s going – and it’s a privilege to be part of it.”