McLaren wasn’t expecting to be in a position to make a serious championship challenge until the 2025 Formula 1 season at the earliest, according to CEO Zak Brown.
The Woking-based squad has emerged as a genuine contender to Red Bull’s pre-eminence this term as it has eradicated the gap to 42 points with 10 races remaining.
McLaren’s revival began last summer as mid-season upgrades saw the team propel from struggling to score points in the nascent rounds to scoring regular podiums.
That momentum has been maintained as more developments in Miami helped Lando Norris to his maiden win, while Oscar Piastri headed a McLaren 1-2 in Budapest.
Brown has admitted that McLaren’s ascent this season has even exceeded international expectations in relation to when the team anticipated it could reel in Red Bull.
“If I were to sit here and say I’m not surprised, that would be disingenuous,” Brown told 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.
“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.”
Brown has acknowledged that McLaren’s chances will depend on whether Sergio Perez can overcome his slump, with Red Bull opting to retain the Mexican’s services.
“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,” he assessed.
“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.”
But while McLaren has been tipped to end its title drought with the teams’ crown, Red Bull is set to retain the Drivers’ title as Max Verstappen harbours a 78-point lead.
Both McLaren and Norris have rued mistakes at crucial moments over recent months, but Brown isn’t concerned as he believes that both parties are learning together.
“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.”
