McLaren's Turnaround: Zak Brown Reveals the Secrets

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has opened up about the key factors behind the team's remarkable transformation, which saw it climb from a ninth-place backmarker in 2018 to constructors' and drivers' champions by 2025. According to Brown, the turnaround was driven by putting the right people in place and reconnecting with the team's heritage.

Why it matters:

McLaren's revival offers a blueprint for struggling teams. Brown's emphasis on culture, leadership, and fan engagement shows that even iconic brands can fall and rise again with deliberate, people-first strategies.

The details:

• People first: “It’s all about people,” Brown told RacingNews365. When he joined, the team was ninth, partners were unhappy, and fans were disgruntled. He felt it was fixable because the brand and talent were still strong.
• Leadership changes: Brown appointed Andrea Stella as team principal, whose guidance has been heavily credited for recent success.
• Fan-driven rebrand: The return to the papaya livery was a direct response to fan feedback. “We listen to our fans,” Brown said, noting that the brand's history and heritage were assets to rebuild upon.

The big picture:

McLaren's trajectory from the back of the grid to back-to-back titles (2024 constructors, 2025 drivers) underscores how organizational culture and transparency can unlock performance. Brown's focus on teamwork and accountability transformed a once-fractured team into a championship-winning machine.