The 2022 season was an eventful one for McLaren. Despite having a fantastic Lando Norris on the team, who scored some key points for them, veteran team member Daniel Ricciardo once again upset them. As a result, the team that was contending with a strong team like Ferrari for third place last year had a significant 395-point deficit to the Italian squad this season. If you believe that the Honey Badger’s poor performance is the only reason for Mclaren’s upset, Zak Brown has further information for you.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
The British racing team scored 159 points throughout this season, but if the team’s top driver had taken on a little more responsibility, they would have easily surpassed the Alpine’s 173-point total. However, the team struggled to keep up with the new rules due to numerous other issues. Furthermore, the working-based team dropped 395 points short of its biggest foe. The spectators may have previously believed that Danny Ric’s limited point total of 37 and his inability to accrue more points like Lando Norris (122) were the main causes of his team’s deficit to Ferrari.
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
Nevertheless, the CEO of McLaren has finally informed the audience of the true reason for their trailing performance. When speaking with RacingNews365, Brown said, ”They had all the tools to produce the car that they then brought to the track, starting from the wind tunnel. Let’s not forget that in the past, they had an engine problem that seemed to damage them once the FIA intervened. But I’m not surprised how quickly they progress, they have the drivers, they have the budget and the infrastructure.”
Comparing Ferrari to the British racing team, the Mclaren boss said, “We had the budget, we had a very good driver line-up, even if we had difficulties with Daniel, but we don’t have the infrastructure, as our simulator and wind tunnel will come into operation in the near future.”
Following Andreas Seidl’s departure for Sauber (now Alfa Romeo), the Woking-based team has undergone a shift in the hierarchy and selected Andrea Stella as the new team principal. That being said, Zak Brown claims that they can challenge the top 3 teams once they get their bags filled with armory.
Zak Brown feels confident in Mclaren’s potential to compete with the top three teams the next year
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
One of the greatest Formula 1 teams, McLaren, has enjoyed exceptional success in the past. The team has won 12 driver championships and eight constructors championships. After Ferrari, the group had the second-highest overall level of success. Even if the odds may be stacked against them, they have shown promise over the past year and, on their best days, are capable of competing with the top three squads.
Formula One F1 – Bahrain Grand Prix – Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain – McLaren Chief Executive Officer Zak Brown during the press conference FIA/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS – THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. NO RESALE. NO ARCHIVES
According to Zak Brown, “When we have everything available, we intend to challenge the top three teams and be with them. We are well aware that some of our car’s deficits stem from this delay with the technological infrastructure. The American boss finished by extolling the virtues of the new regulations, “The races were fantastic, and although the season was dominated, it certainly wasn’t boring.”
ADVERTISEMENT
Article continues below this ad
WATCH THIS STORY: McLaren F1 Boss Uses Carlos Sainz and Daniel Ricciardo to Highlight Major Flaws With Red Bull Racing
McLaren may have struggled this year for a variety of reasons, but now that the team is loaded with young talent and Oscar Piastri has joined the group, is there a chance that things can turn around?
