Zak Brown became convinced McLaren was on the path to Formula 1 redemption after an inspiring result at the 2023 British Grand Prix.
At the season-ending 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, McLaren secured its first Constructors’ title in 26 years.
Rewind the clock to the start of the previous season and team papaya was at the back of the grid, but recently appointed Team Principal Andrea Stella made it clear McLaren would get back on track.
Speaking to Auto Motor und Sport, Brown revealed how Stella openly admitted McLaren would struggle at the start of 2023 before turning things around.
“[Stella’s] first job at the beginning of 2023 was to reorganise the management level,” the McLaren CEO said.
“He managed to get the maximum potential out of everyone.
“He told me right from the start that we would have a terrible start to the 2023 season. And that’s how it was.
“And then you told me about this incredible development curve of the car. It was almost too good to be true. But they kept their word.”
True enough, McLaren’s 2023 Bahrain GP resulted in a DNF for Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris was two laps down in 17th.
At Round 5 in Miami, both cars were out in Q1, but Stella said at the time that the MCL60 “needed a fundamental redesign” and promised results would come.
‘Out of character’ Stella predicted McLaren’s turning point
It wasn’t until Round 10 in Austria that McLaren reaped the rewards of its design redevelopment and Stella’s three-pronged technical structure.
Norris, piloting a revolutionised MCL60 finished fourth at the Red Bull Ring.
“Completely out of character, Andrea publicly announced that the race in Austria would be the turning point for us,” Brown said.
Still, with results going McLaren’s way in Austria in the past, Brown wasn’t convinced until Norris and Piastri qualified second and third for the next race at Silverstone, converting their starting positions into second and fourth by the chequered flag.
“It actually worked [in Austria] with one car, but I was still sceptical,” Brown admitted.
“We always had quite good results on this track.
“Then came Silverstone and both cars were at the front.
“I knew then that they had told me the truth. And things have been going uphill ever since.”
True enough, a McLaren featured on the podium in six out of the 12 remaining races following the 2023 British GP.
In 2024, after a few rounds slightly off the ultimate pace, McLaren guided Norris to a maiden victory at Miami, kicking off a tally of six wins for the team across the campaign and previously elusive Constructors’ title.
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