Discuss of McLaren being favourites for the 2025 drivers’ and constructors’ titles “can be conceited” says Zak Brown.
Whereas Pink Bull did a fairly good job of imploding this season, McLaren quietly acquired on with the job of constructing on its 2023 turnaround, and as soon as the intense updates started showing in Miami, the Woking outfit quickly turned a significant pressure happening to with the constructors’ title for the primary time since 1998.
It was too late for Lando Norris to overtake Max Verstappen, who nearly single-handed stored Pink Bull within the sport, however already there’s discuss of McLaren claiming each titles in 2025.
“I believe favourites can be conceited,” stated the McLaren boss, based on RACER.
“I see no cause why we will not be one of many favourites,” he added. “You have acquired 4 groups which are profitable races frequently, so I do not see how one can put anyone as a favorite going into subsequent yr.
To Pete Prodromou’s credit score, he got here into this yr pondering we may win the world championship,” stated the American of the crew’s aero guru. “I wasn’t there… I am there now, that subsequent yr, we’ll attempt to win the Constructors’ and Drivers’ world championship.
“That is the mind-set of everybody else,” he continued, “however I do know there’s no less than three different groups, and perhaps a shock, however no less than three different groups that may have that very same mind-set, and I believe they’ve pretty much as good an opportunity as anybody.”
Not like Pink Bull, McLaren had two drivers commonly difficult for podiums and grabbing as many factors as potential.
“Each race weekend, you watch Formulation 1’s greatest driver pairing, Lando and Oscar, get behind the wheel of the MCL38 and put in a shift for this crew,” stated the American. “As a rule this yr, that is been on the entrance of the sector, with six wins, 21 podiums, and eight pole positions, together with a run of 14 consecutive podiums, the second-longest streak in our historical past.
“Our drivers have finished us proud,” he continued. “Lando pushed Max onerous within the drivers’ championship and is the primary driver to complete second for us since Jenson in 2011. And in solely his second season, Oscar has turn into the primary McLaren driver to complete as excessive as fourth for us since Lewis in 2012.
“On and off monitor, each made large strides this yr, displaying they have what it takes to problem for the championship.”
In fact, the pair’s starvation for achievement may nicely work in opposition to the crew, for Piastri is a possible champion in his personal proper and is clearly unwilling to play a subservient Rubens Barrichello, Valtteri Bottas-type function to Norris as gave the impression to be the case for a lot of 2024.
