Discuss of McLaren being favourites for the 2025 drivers’ and constructors’ titles “can be boastful” says Zak Brown.
Whereas Crimson Bull did a fairly good job of imploding this season, McLaren quietly received 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 grew to become a serious pressure occurring to with the constructors’ title for the primary time since 1998.
It was too late for Lando Norris to overtake Max Verstappen, who virtually single-handed saved Crimson Bull within the recreation, however already there may be discuss of McLaren claiming each titles in 2025.
“I feel favourites can be boastful,” mentioned the McLaren boss, in line with RACER.
“I see no purpose why we won’t be one of many favourites,” he added. “You have received 4 groups which can be 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,” mentioned the American of the workforce’s aero guru. “I wasn’t there… I am there now, that subsequent yr, we will try to win the Constructors’ and Drivers’ world championship.
“That is the mind-set of everybody else,” he continued, “however I do know there’s a minimum of three different groups, and possibly a shock, however a minimum of three different groups that can have that very same mind-set, and I feel they’ve nearly as good an opportunity as anybody.”
In contrast to Crimson Bull, McLaren had two drivers repeatedly difficult for podiums and grabbing as many factors as potential.
“Each race weekend, you watch System 1’s finest driver pairing, Lando and Oscar, get behind the wheel of the MCL38 and put in a shift for this workforce,” mentioned the American. “Most of the time 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 laborious 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 observe, each made enormous strides this yr, exhibiting they have what it takes to problem for the championship.”
After all, the pair’s starvation for achievement may effectively work in opposition to the workforce, for Piastri is a possible champion in his personal proper and is clearly unwilling to play a subservient Rubens Barrichello, Valtteri Bottas-type position to Norris as seemed to be the case for a lot of 2024.
