Daily News 19

Tag: Zak Brown

  • Lando Norris Completes First Full Test in McLaren’s Le Mans Hypercar

    Lando Norris Completes First Full Test in McLaren’s Le Mans Hypercar

    Formula 1 world champion Lando Norris completed his first full test of the McLaren MCL-HY Le Mans Hypercar at the Algarve International Circuit in Portimão on Monday. The session came days after the Spanish Grand Prix at the new Madring circuit, where an ill-timed Virtual Safety Car denied Norris a potential victory. The British driver traveled across the border for a dedicated one-day program, completing 38 laps and covering 177 miles (285 kilometers) in the V6-powered prototype. McLaren confirmed the run included evaluation of several development items and leveraged Norris’s extensive Formula 1 experience for detailed feedback.

    Norris Completes First Full Test at Portimão

    Norris was supported by McLaren’s 2027 Hypercar drivers Mikkel Jensen and Laurens Vanthoor, who continued development work ahead of the British manufacturer’s World Endurance Championship debut next season. The test follows Norris’s initial taste of the MCL-HY during its public debut at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in July.

    Valuable Feedback from F1 Champion

    “First of all, a big thanks to the McLaren Hypercar Team for letting me drive the MCL-HY,” he said. “It was great for them to give me a chance to have a bit of fun and try something new, particularly during their busy preparations for next year.”

    “I think we also collected some valuable data, and I hope I was able to bring a different set of feelings, comments, and perspectives on things, which is useful for the team in this crucial testing period.”

    “It was cool for me personally to work with this team, and it was exciting to try new machinery too. I’ve not done a proper test in anything other than an F1 car for years now, so the fact I got to try something different, especially still as part of the McLaren family, was very special.”

    “It was a fun day in a quick car on a cool track, helping the team prepare for the start of WEC next year. A big thanks to everyone involved, I can’t wait to get back in the car in the future.”

    McLaren Hypercar Team Principal Comments

    “We are all racers at McLaren Racing, and competing in Formula 1, INDYCAR and the World Endurance Championship creates exciting cross-series opportunities,” he said.

    “Lando was keen to drive the MCL-HY beyond his Goodwood Hill run, so we invited him to join our private Portimão test. As we fully expected he adapted very quickly, integrated seamlessly and provided valuable feedback to support the car’s development.”

    “It was a pleasure to have him with the team, we wish him every success for the rest of the Formula 1 season, and we look forward to welcoming him back into the McLaren Hypercar Team soon.”

    Potential Le Mans 2027 Outing

    McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has previously expressed interest in fielding both Norris and Oscar Piastri in the WEC’s blue-riband event, the 24 Hours of Le Mans, though any such entry would likely require the team to run a third car. A Le Mans appearance would only be feasible if there are no clashes with Norris’s Formula 1 commitments next year. While the full 2027 WEC calendar was revealed three months ago — with Le Mans penciled in for the weekend of June 12–13 — Formula 1 has yet to publish its 2027 schedule amid ongoing geopolitical uncertainty in West Asia.

    Lando Norris, McLaren Photo by: McLaren
    Lando Norris, McLaren Photo by: McLaren
  • Romain Grosjean Apologizes to McLaren Over Controversial, Unfounded Comments

    Romain Grosjean Apologizes to McLaren Over Controversial, Unfounded Comments

    Formula 1 pundit and former driver Romain Grosjean issued a public apology to McLaren and team principal Zak Brown on Sunday after misrepresenting Brown’s comments regarding Oscar Piastri during the Spanish Grand Prix weekend at the Madring circuit.

    Grosjean’s Initial Criticism Sparks Controversy

    While covering the race live for Canal+, Grosjean sharply criticised remarks he believed Brown had made following Saturday’s qualifying session, where Lando Norris secured pole position. Grosjean suggested the McLaren boss had undermined Piastri’s morale.

    “I saw a statement from Zak Brown about Lando Norris’ lap, he cut Oscar Piastri to pieces with a pair of scissors and a chainsaw right there”, Romain Grosjean initially said, after reigning world champion Norris had taken pole position at the Madring the previous day. “If Piastri had any morale left, he doesn’t have any anymore.

    “The harshness, the violence of that statement… The question was that Norris had done a good qualifying and he was asked how to explain the difference. Basically, he said that Lando was world champion and that he was better than Oscar.

    “He kind of forgot that last year, Oscar was leading the world championship, that at Monza they asked him to let Lando past and that perhaps wasn’t necessarily the thing to do at that point. It was surprising, very surprising, and it left me speechless when I heard that statement.”

    What Zak Brown Actually Said

    The controversy stemmed from a misunderstanding. Brown’s actual comments, made during an F1 TV interview after qualifying alongside Juan Pablo Montoya, Jolyon Palmer, and Grosjean himself, praised Norris’s lap without disparaging Piastri.

    “The whole lap was amazing and Lando’s just getting better and better and better”, Brown had said. “When you see a lap like that put down, you just go, ‘he’s a world champion’.”

    When asked by Montoya about the performance gap between the two McLaren drivers, Brown added:

    “I think a) you got Lando on his A-plus game, right? So, I don’t think there was anything left laptime-wise there. So, he found that.

    “Oscar’s been right there with him all weekend and just didn’t get that same extra lap. We’ll continue to look at it. He’ll look at the data and probably do what we all did and go, ‘wow, what a lap’ as well.”

    Social Media Reaction and Swift Correction

    Grosjean’s on-air remarks were widely clipped and debated across social media platforms, prompting the French broadcaster to clarify his error on Sunday evening.

    Grosjean Apologises for Misunderstanding

    In a statement released Sunday night, Grosjean acknowledged he had misinterpreted Brown’s words during the live F1 TV session he attended.

    “Today, I made a comment on Canal+ regarding Zak Brown’s comments about Oscar Piastri during an interview yesterday on F1 TV, which I was part of,” he wrote.

    “I completely misunderstood his words and want to apologise for that. I know how important it is to Zak and the entire McLaren team to respect their drivers and treat them fairly and equally.

    “McLaren had the fastest car today and were unlucky with the VSC. I’m sure both Lando and Oscar will have another chance to fight for the win in Baku.”

  • Lando Norris Signs New McLaren Contract Through 2030

    Lando Norris Signs New McLaren Contract Through 2030

    Lando Norris says extending his McLaren contract until at least the end of 2030 was “quite an easy yes for me”.

    The reigning world champion’s new deal was announced on Saturday. Norris said he “didn’t even have a look” at offers from other Formula 1 teams before committing his future to McLaren, where he has raced since making his F1 debut in 2019.

    “There was some interest from elsewhere,” Norris said in an interview with BBC Sport, “but I don’t want to go anywhere. I don’t want to be with another team. I don’t want to spend time with other people.”

    “That’s why it really was probably one of the easiest decisions I’ve made since being in Formula 1.”

    Norris chose McLaren despite outside interest

    The 26-year-old was not under pressure to make an immediate decision, as his previous McLaren contract still had more than a year to run. However, he said discussions about a new agreement had gradually emerged in recent months and that he had no doubts about staying.

    Norris said his loyalty to McLaren is rooted in the relationships he has developed within the team, including with chief executive officer Zak Brown and team principal Andrea Stella, as well as the shared journey they have experienced.

    After Norris entered Formula 1 in 2019, McLaren spent several seasons struggling to compete at the front. The team’s performance improved rapidly after Stella became team principal at the end of 2022.

    McLaren won consecutive constructors’ championships in 2024 and 2025, ending a title drought that had stretched back to 1998. Norris also secured the drivers’ championship last year.

    “The fact I stuck it through with them and then we went on to obviously have success certainly makes me feel like I don’t want to… they didn’t give up on me and I didn’t give up on them.”

    “That just creates a very strong bond between everyone that works here. I want to believe that bond stays as strong as it is now ’til I do retire in my career at Formula 1.”

    “I know that’s a long, long way away and I don’t want to think of it. But I believe we’re in the best place we’ve ever been even with a tough start to the season. And I believe that we can fight through anything together for sure.”

  • Why Lando Norris and McLaren Are Committed to a Long-Term Partnership

    Why Lando Norris and McLaren Are Committed to a Long-Term Partnership

    Some sporting partnerships are built to last. Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen, Xavi and Andres Iniesta, and Lando Norris and McLaren are among them.

    On Saturday, McLaren announced that Norris had signed a new contract keeping him with the team until at least the end of 2030.

    Why Lando Norris committed to McLaren

    When Zak Brown first met a young aspiring racer named Lando Norris, he quickly decided that the Briton had the potential to become a World Champion. Brown was proved right last year when the 26-year-old held off team-mate Oscar Piastri and a charging Max Verstappen to win the Drivers’ World Championship.

    That title success came in the ninth year of Norris and McLaren’s relationship. It began in 2017, when the 17-year-old walked through the doors of the McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) in Woking to sign a contract as a test and development driver.

    Norris made an immediate impression at McLaren, and the team made an equally strong impression on him. They have grown together, endured difficult periods together and celebrated success together. Each has consistently supported the other.

    That is the kind of environment in which Norris thrives. In his first interview since the announcement, he said he was with the people he wanted to be with and that “for me, that’s calming”.

    Norris’ previous contract ran until at least the end of 2027, meaning there was no urgent need to negotiate a new agreement. Brown and Norris both knew they were happy with the partnership and wanted it to continue. So why agree a new deal now?

    Following Norris’ World Championship victory last year, McLaren’s first Drivers’ World Championship title since Lewis Hamilton won in 2008, the plan was always to discuss extending and improving their agreement.

    Over the past few months, both sides focused on the new terms. They were certain they wanted to continue beyond 2027 and commit to a long-term partnership, which in this case means at least the next four years.

    The agreement is understood to represent a genuine commitment from both parties, rather than a contract containing clauses that would allow either side to leave at the end of each season.

    Norris wanted a long-term deal to provide stability for himself and those around him, while putting an end to persistent speculation about his future that could become a distraction.

    Knowing he will remain at McLaren until at least the end of 2030, when he will be 31, allows Norris to focus on working with the team to add to his race wins and World Championship total.

    He also believes McLaren have the ingredients required to keep winning. Norris regards Brown and Team Principal Andrea Stella as “incredible” leaders, while believing the people working alongside him are the best in the business and are moving in the same direction.

    From Norris’ perspective, there was therefore no compelling reason to change teams.

    McLaren secure a World Champion for the future

    McLaren have watched Norris develop from a rising star into a World Champion. The team supported him through every stage, from signing his first contract and taking his first pole position to claiming his maiden Grand Prix victory and winning the title.

    McLaren know exactly what they have in Norris and understand his value, so they had no desire to let him leave.

    Securing the driver for at least another four years provides certainty for the team’s shareholders and partners while discouraging interest from the many potential suitors elsewhere in the Formula 1 paddock.

    The driver market could become particularly competitive in 2028, making Norris’ early contract extension a clear statement of McLaren’s intentions and a warning to their rivals.

    Trust and belief in each other formed the foundations of Norris and McLaren’s relationship in 2017. A decade on, they remain its cornerstones.

    With team-mate Piastri contracted until the end of 2028, and both sides believed to be very satisfied with their relationship, McLaren are well placed for the future as they seek to build a papaya-coloured dynasty in the years ahead.

  • Lando Norris Exclusive Interview: Why the 2025 World Champion Sees His Future at McLaren After Signing a New Long-Term Extension

    Lando Norris Exclusive Interview: Why the 2025 World Champion Sees His Future at McLaren After Signing a New Long-Term Extension

    Lando Norris is extending his McLaren contract until at least the end of 2030, reaffirming his commitment to the Formula 1 team after a highly successful partnership.

    The new deal will keep Norris at McLaren for at least 12 years by the time it expires, matching the length of Lewis Hamilton’s time with Mercedes. The agreement represents a major vote of confidence between the British driver and the team where he began his Formula 1 career.

    “I’m very, very excited,” he says in his first interview since the news was announced. “McLaren’s been my home since the very, very beginning of my career in Formula 1 and I want it to stay that way for as long as possible. We’ve had a great few years and I’m confident we can achieve that many more times. So I want to stay.”

    Norris joined McLaren as a test and development driver before becoming a reserve driver. He earned a full-time race seat in 2019 alongside Carlos Sainz, then claimed his first podium at the 2020 Austrian Grand Prix and his first pole position in Russia in 2021.

    His first Formula 1 victory came in Miami in 2024. He followed it with his first Monaco win in 2025 and then secured his maiden British Grand Prix victory at Silverstone later that year. Norris also went on to win his first World Championship, giving McLaren its first drivers’ title since 2008.

    The driver and team have experienced every stage of Norris’s career together, and neither wants to change a partnership that continues to work. The contract extension also provides stability and allows both sides to focus on performance.

    “I know for a good amount more years that I’m comfortable in terms of I’ve got a job and I’m where I want to be, and with the people that I want to be with, and for me that’s calming,” he says. “I can focus on a job I need to do and as a team we can also focus on the job that we want to do.”

    He adds: “You can always see results as most important and 99% of the time I think they are, but I would say there’s leeway, there’s leverage in terms of just the fact I’m with the people that I want to be with, people that I enjoy spending my career with.”

    “I don’t want to be bouncing around teams and doing different things. I want be where I’m happy and, even when we weren’t winning, I was also happy to be part of McLaren.

    “I think something I always know for my future is I want results of course – the team know that just as much as anyone – but I also just want to be wherever I’m most happy and even if we’re not winning like the beginning of this year, it’s not like I want to change team.

    “I’m still very happy with who I am with and happy to kind of fight through whatever we have coming up.”

    McLaren fighting back after slow start

    McLaren’s recent resurgence has strengthened the team’s position in the Formula 1 championship. The reigning World Champions endured a difficult start to the season, with McLaren failing to take the start at the season opener in Australia and both cars failing to start the following race in China.

    An upgrade introduced in Hungary before the summer break brought McLaren into contention and helped Norris claim his first win of the season. Further upgrades were added at Zandvoort after the break, where Norris took pole position and secured a second consecutive victory.

    Norris remains 83 points behind championship leader Kimi Antonelli, but he and McLaren have built momentum. Last year, Max Verstappen recovered from a 104-point deficit to force a title decider in Abu Dhabi, meaning Norris remains firmly in contention to defend his championship.

    That comeback reflects the potential Norris believes McLaren has, but it was not the reason behind his contract renewal. Discussions had already been planned after Norris won the world title in Abu Dhabi the previous year.

    Norris knew he wanted to stay, while McLaren wanted to retain him. Both sides were keen to remove uncertainty about his future and discourage interest from rival teams.

    “It’s a continuation of my last [contract],” he says. “We just want to be able to focus on doing our best job, to extract performance, to get the most out of everyone and focus on the importance that we do not get caught up in the mess of everyone else deciding contracts.

    “I don’t want to distract my team, I don’t want to distract the guys and girls here that are here to give me the best car possible and for me to do the best job for them.

    “We want to focus on our jobs and not think about all the noise that goes on in the sidelines. So for me it’s ‘guys I’m here to stay. I want to be with you for a long time’ and it gives them a good boost, gives me a good boost and together it means we can just focus.”

    Norris praises McLaren leadership

    Norris also expressed confidence in the McLaren structure led by CEO Zak Brown and Team Principal Andrea Stella.

    “Zak is a very good leader, he’s a very good boss,” says Norris.

    “As much as we get on and we just, we love racing, we want to win together, we enjoy golf and things, he is still my boss so he still gives me a kick whenever I do something wrong or if I’m not doing something well enough.

    “That’s always what I want – someone that’s honest and who gives me the brutal truth no matter what it is and that something that’s very important to me.”

    “At the same time I have that very much so with Andrea, and Andrea is for me – and of course I’m biased and this is the only place I’ve been – but we have had a few different team principals and he is most certainly the most influential over the team.

    “He is an incredible leader, someone who knows how to bring a group of people together and also knows how to lead individuals such as me in terms of how I can go out and increase my performance every day and be a better person.

    “So, even if I could change anything with where I am now, I wouldn’t and I think that’s the perfect reason.”

    Norris will be 31 when his latest McLaren contract expires, and he suggested that he could remain with the team for the rest of his career. He already holds the record for the most starts for McLaren.

    “I want to make this my home,” says the Briton, who holds the record for the most starts for McLaren. “I want it to be the place that I am at for a very, very long time and maybe even forever.

    “There are more nice things that just allow me to work better here and live better here, and that’s an amazing thing.”

    Source: www.formula1.com

  • Zak Brown Explains Why He Chose the Washington, D.C., IndyCar Race Over the Dutch GP

    Zak Brown Explains Why He Chose the Washington, D.C., IndyCar Race Over the Dutch GP

    McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown chose to attend IndyCar’s first Freedom 250 Grand Prix in Washington, D.C., rather than the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort, despite McLaren ultimately securing pole position and victory with Lando Norris.

    Speaking to Will Buxton in an interview with SPEED, Brown explained that his decision was based on where he could have the greatest commercial impact across McLaren’s racing operations.

    “I’d like to be at both, but I’ve not been able to figure that out,” said Brown. “So, I use my double-triple top-secret laptop to dial into Holland. My role is to go where I can have the most impact on our racing teams, where’s the most commercial activity, the biggest growth for the different racing series we’re in and the teams.

    “And this race is epic. I’ve not seen anything like it, so I needed to be here, and fortunately, when you have a great group of people, reality is — don’t tell anyone — but our three racing teams can survive just fine when I don’t make a race weekend.

    “Witnessed the pole Lando has in Holland (interview took place before race day), so it’s a little bit more difficult for me to take credit for that. I’ve told my three guys (in IndyCar), someone needs to have a pole here so I can take credit for it here.”

    The commercial impact of IndyCar’s Washington race

    The IndyCar event attracted several prominent business leaders, as well as the president of the United States. FOX later reported that the Freedom 250 Grand Prix was IndyCar’s most-watched non-Indy 500 race since 1995, averaging more than 3.2 million viewers.

    “At the end of the day, that’s why I’m here,” said Brown. “We’ve got great partners in Holland, but this is new, so we have a lot of first-time partners here, a lot of prospects here, the attention that this has brought to IndyCar, the NTT IndyCar Series is awesome, and so, I had to be here. It’s kind of a no-brainer.”

    While Norris went on to win the Dutch Grand Prix from pole position, Arrow McLaren narrowly missed out on victory in Washington. Christian Lundgaard finished second behind race winner Kyle Kirkwood, while McLaren teammates Nolan Siegel and Pato O’Ward placed sixth and 16th, respectively.

    Brown later praised the Washington event and described it as a tremendous success.

    Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren

    Photo by: Penske Entertainment