Zak Brown plays down dynasty talk as McLaren targets week-to-week execution

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown says the team will keep its focus on the next race as talk of building on the team’s dynasty have once again rekindled after its 10th constructors’ championship ahead of the 2026 regulation change. 

The American discussed the success of the team under Andrea Stella, adding that his ambitions are simple: the next race is always the most important. 

“Do we want to create a McLaren dynasty and leave a legacy? Of course we do,” he said. “But it’s like Andrea says: ‘You don’t race trying to create a legacy, you show up every weekend, focused on what you need to do that weekend, and then, the results and the history books take care of themselves.’

“Next year, with the new regulations, is going to be even tougher. This year, we had the benefit of working within regulations that we knew. But we’re now entering a new era, with one of the biggest regulation changes in the history of F1 – that comes with a lot of risk and a lot of opportunity.”

McLaren has undergone a huge transformation since even the start of the 2023 season when it sat at the back of the grid. In less than two years, it has surged in performance, finding itself with two of the fastest cars in the current Formula 1 season. 

Lando Norris, McLaren, Oscar Piastri, McLaren

Photo by: Andy Hone/ LAT Images via Getty Images

The driver pairing Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris has proven to be a solid duo, with the team sitting on 650 points, double that of Mercedes, which is currently second. But next year could well be a different story. 

F1 is introducing a new set of regulations, including a redesigned aerodynamic concept and revised power unit that balances the internal combustion engine with electric motor power. Despite McLaren’s dominance this year, there is nothing to say it won’t struggle next year. But history tends to repeat itself.

The team has delivered 12 drivers’ championship wins and now 10 constructors’ titles since Bruce McLaren started the team in 1963. With a host of recent investments into wind tunnel and simulation infrastructure, as well as a new three-pronged approach to its technical management introduced by Andrea Stella, the Woking outfit is set up for success. It goes into 2026 with confidence, and while a dynasty isn’t the aim, it could well be the outcome of simply focusing on the next race. 

We want your opinion!

– The Motorsport.com Team