McLaren boss Zak Brown admits to deliberately causing chaos to destabilise Red Bull and gain a psychological edge on rivals.
In Formula 1, the drama isn’t just on the track—it’s also in the boardrooms and behind the scenes.
Christian Horner has a new rival, and it’s not Toto Wolff this time. It’s Zak Brown, the outspoken CEO of McLaren Racing. Their rivalry escalated early last season, especially after Brown publicly questioned Horner’s ethics amid an ongoing internal investigation at Red Bull.
In a recent episode of the TechStuff podcast, Brown didn’t shy away from the tension. In fact, he embraced it.
“Absolutely. Formula 1 is a hyper-competitive and political sport—maybe more than any other. Of course, the goal is to be as fast as possible, but there’s also a strategic side: creating pressure and throwing your rivals off balance.”
He went on to say that creating instability within other teams, like Red Bull, is part of the game—even if it doesn’t always work in your favor.
“If you can cause a little chaos in a rival camp, it might slow them down while you focus on moving forward.”
In 2024, McLaren’s comeback was real. While Max Verstappen secured the drivers’ title, McLaren clinched their first Constructors’ Championship since 1998—though it came down to the wire, with Ferrari nearly stealing it in the final Grand Prix.
“It couldn’t have been closer. If Lando hadn’t won, we wouldn’t have taken the Constructors’ title. We never assumed it was in the bag. Look how quickly the sport shifts—Red Bull looked untouchable at the start of the season, and they ended up third. You can never relax in F1.”
Looking ahead, McLaren is setting its sights even higher.
“A hundred percent—we’re going for both titles in 2025. That’s the goal.”
Much of McLaren’s recent success is credited to Team Principal Andrea Stella, who took over from Andreas Seidl. Brown is full of praise for his leadership.
“Andrea aligns everything. Every department has to deliver—not just the ones working on the car. Communications, commercial, finance… they all impact performance. It’s about having a thousand people rowing in the same direction.”
When asked if McLaren spies on Red Bull or Ferrari to gain an edge, Brown kept it real.
“A little. But honestly, there’s not much you can do about it. You watch, you learn—but it’s easy to get too caught up in what others are doing. You have to stay focused on yourself.”
As for his own legacy at McLaren, Brown says he’s not there yet.
“No, it’s not the time to think about that. I’m focused—I feel like we’re just getting started. Maybe one day I’ll reflect on it. But not now.”
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Brown fuels F1 feud with bold shot at Red Bull team
Brown fuels F1 feud with bold shot at Red Bull team