Zak Brown celebrates a triumph by Piastri
/ EFE
McLaren CEO Zak Brown is currently enjoying a strong period for the Woking-based team, having taken over in 2018 from Ron Dennis to lead an internal restructuring. Last year, Lando Norris won the drivers’ title, and the team secured its second consecutive constructors’ championship. This success stands in stark contrast to the crisis he encountered upon arriving at the McLaren Technology Center.
Brown does not forget the difficult moments in his career, as they make the current situation even more valuable. He emphasizes that the problems were not limited to Formula 1, noting that the “worst experience” of his life occurred in IndyCar, specifically during his collaboration with Fernando Alonso in 2019.
The two-time Spanish champion, who was chasing the Triple Crown (Le Mans, Monaco, and Indianapolis), had an impressive run in the Indy 500 two years earlier, while still driving for McLaren in F1. He was in contention for victory until an engine failure prevented him from seeing the checkered flag.
In 2019, during his break from the “great circus,” Alonso focused on the World Endurance Championship, Daytona, and the Dakar Rally, but also sought another attempt at Indianapolis. This time, driving a McLaren car that was far from competitive, Fernando failed to qualify among the 33 cars that made the race.
“Especially in the early days, there were a lot of obstacles. I made many mistakes along the way. I told the team that mistakes are fine, just don’t make the same one twice, because you learn from them,” Brown recalled in comments published by Racing News 365.
“Probably the biggest mistake, the most public one – there have been many, but the most public – was failing to qualify for the Indianapolis 500 with Fernando Alonso. At that moment, it was the worst experience of my life. But I’m very proud of it. It sounds strange, but that’s how we learned. It was my fault, because we didn’t put the pieces in place, didn’t have the right people, and I didn’t trust my gut,” the Californian admitted.
“When we didn’t qualify with Alonso, people asked us if we were finished – that was definitely a big blow,” Brown added. Over the years, McLaren’s IndyCar operation has grown stronger, and Mexican driver Patricio O’Ward came close to winning in 2024, engaged in an epic battle with Josef Newgarden until the final lap.
“I’m happy that 2019 happened, because I won’t let it happen again. Since then, we’ve finished second in the Indy 500 twice and had a crash while leading,” Brown concluded.
