A mixed bag for McLaren Racing CEO after three-race weekend
23rd July 2024McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has endured a weekend of highs and lows with the team’s sporting categories; Formula 1, Formula E and IndyCar.
Feature image credit: McLaren Racing
McLaren was firing on quite a few cylinders last weekend as the team endured three race weekends across three different motorsport disciplines around the globe.
Three of McLaren’s four racing disciplines were in action last weekend. Their F1 entry raced in Hungary whilst the other two categories raced in London, Great Britain (Formula E) and Toronto, Canada (IndyCar). Across the three motorsport events, Brown was present at the IndyCar race as part of the Arrow McLaren team in Canada.
Formula 1 would mark the highest point of the organisation’s motorsporting schedule as their F1 entry took home a strong haul of points at the Hungarian GP, who look to be in a championship fight with Red Bull for the constructors.
The team’s 23-year-old Australian, Oscar Piastri took home his first-ever race win in controversial circumstances and headed the team’s first 1-2 finish since Monza 2021, with Lando Norris joining him on the podium in second.
On the win, Brown put up a post on X congratulating the team. He said:
“Mega 1-2 in Hungary!!! Delighted for Oscar on his first win in F1!!! Great teamwork from Lando and delivered in P2. Immense pride in the whole team who have shown incredible resilience and togetherness.
“ONE TEAM. ONE MISSION.”
However, the low point seems to come from the team’s Formula E entry as the American CEO has branded it a ‘disappointing end’ to season 10 of the all-electric championship.
This statement isn’t without weight to support the less-than-optimal performance from their FE entry.
In the FE finale, in London, the team only managed to pick up a total of six points. Sam Bird picked up four points (8th) in the first race and, fellow Briton, Jake Hughes claimed two points (10th) in the season’s final race.
On the conclusion of Season 10 of Formula E, Brown said:
“A disappointing end to the Formula E season for the NEOM @McLarenFE Team, with only a handful of points achieved during the London double-header.
“While there were highlights throughout the season, such as Sam’s win in São Paulo, and Jake’s first podium in Shanghai, the season as a whole has been challenging for the team.
“Work is already underway to get us to where we want to be in Season 11.”
IndyCar wasn’t without its issues for McLaren as the team were forced to replace the driver for their #7 entry, Alexander Rossi, for the Toronto race as their departing driver broke his thumb in practice on Friday.
Rossi’s replacement, Theo Pourchaire jumped in to compete in his fifth race for McLaren this season. The Frenchman finished the race 14th overall which was higher than both Pato O’Ward (17th) and Nolan Siegel (21st).
Read more Formula 1 here:
- Verstappen escapes punishment for Hamilton contact at Hungary GP
- Piastri takes maiden F1 win at Hungary GP after team-radio trouble
- Lando Norris heads McLaren front-row lockout at Hungary GP
- Lando Norris leads McLaren 1-2 finish in Hungary GP FP3
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Hi, I’m Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion.
I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I’ve loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
Kamron Kent
Hi, I'm Kamron. I created ApexMotorsports.co.uk in the dying embers of the 2021 Formula 1 world championship. It allowed me freedom to write whatever I wanted to write about which was all things motorsports, my passion. I have put a lot of effort in over the years to keep this website in its best shape and I've loved seeing the brand grow consistently, month-on-month, year-on-year. My ambition is to keep watching this brand grow into a primary outlet of news for all things motorsports whilst fueling my desire to pursue a career in sports journalism, specialising in motorsports.
