Zak Brown acknowledges McLaren's challenging start to the F1 season but sees potential after a strong performance in Miami, including a one-two finish in the sprint race.
Photo by Kym Illman/Getty Images
McLarenâs title defence didnât start as planned this season, but Zak Brown and his team have been working to close the gap. Their performance in Miami offered a bit of hope.
They had a solid weekend, with a one-two finish in the sprint race followed by a second and third in the main event. Both Norris and Piastri showed pace, holding their own against Mercedes across the weekend.
âItâs been a tough start to the year. I think they were pretty much always two-tenths ahead. I think probably last year we went back here, especially when you compare to what it was like at the beginning of 2023,â said Zak Brown via Sky Sports.
âWeâre getting closer and that gap between where we are now and where we need to be is now three or four tenths not quite as close as maybe it looked on paper.â
Lawrence Barretto, speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, shared what Zak Brown told him ahead of a Q&A session with the McLaren CEO in Miami.
Barretto put the question to Brown about whether he felt McLaren could still fight for both championships despite their rough start. Staying true to his confident style, Brown backed his team to stay in contention.
âI did a Q&A with Zak just ahead of the weekend. Just before we went on stage, I just asked him, âDo you think you can fight for both championships?
He was like, âYeah, I definitely think we can.â Zak doesnât tend to do that when youâre just having a chat with him unless he genuinely believes that they can get in that fight.
âI think that belief echoes right through McLaren at the minute. When youâve got that, itâs an incredible strength of yours to be able to have to come to a track because itâs going to scare everyone else.â
Zak Brown mentioned that McLaren's title defense has been tough, but they are working to close the performance gap, especially after a promising weekend in Miami.
McLaren achieved a one-two finish in the sprint race and secured second and third places in the main event, showcasing competitive pace against Mercedes.
McLaren is struggling with performance, often finding themselves two-tenths behind competitors, but they are making efforts to improve their standings.

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On the same podcast, Barretto highlighted McLarenâs reputation for making solid gains during the middle part of the season as another reason behind their growing confidence.
âEvery time you tell them theyâre bringing a big upgrade, youâve already won slightly because everyone else is like, âUh oh.â I think there is a gap. Of course there is.
âBut I think weâve really seen so far in McLarenâs dominant period that they can turn things around, and I think they can just once more.â
Norris noted after the Miami Grand Prix that McLaren had made noticeable progress, especially given how closely they were able to race Mercedes throughout the event.
Even though their qualifying result wasnât what theyâd hoped for, McLaren still left Miami with plenty of positives to build on as the season moves forward.
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