Brown pledges full attack by McLaren in both F1 title races

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown says the team will give it all its got to win both Formula 1 championships this season, despite the deficit to Max Verstappen in the drivers’ standings.

Red Bull leads the constructors’ championship by 42 points from a resurgent McLaren, while Lando Norris is second in the drivers’ classification but 78 behind Verstappen. Even so, Brown believes both titles are realistic targets for McLaren when racing resumes after the summer break, even if he acknowledges it will be a tough ask to overhaul the three-time world champion given the advantage he has already built up.

“I think we can; we're certainly going to try,” Brown told SiriusXM. “Obviously, the constructors' is more within reach because of how many points are available at a weekend and the fact that they have only one car always performing at the front at the same time. But I think Sergio [Perez] is capable of turning it on it at any time.

“And then the I think the challenge on the drivers' side is Lando can go win seven races, but if Max finishes second or third -- which is probably what he would do -- the point spread isn't big enough. I think the point spread is what, seven points, and he's 70 plus points behind. So literally, Lando could go win seven races, and if Max finishes second, he still doesn't catch him.

“Now, obviously there's 10 races left. DNFs happen, but those go both ways. So 100% we're going to give it all we've got for the constructors’ and drivers’, but you've got to say the drivers, mathematically, is a taller mountain to climb.”

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McLaren has been playing catch-up since falling over 100 points behind Red Bull in the opening six rounds of the season before its full upgrade package was available, but Brown says he doesn’t rue the time it took to get the car to its current level of competitiveness.

“I think motor racing and sport is all ‘woulda, coulda, shoulda.’ Do I wish we had today's car at the first race? Yes, but we didn't. So I think you can't look back and kind of regret things.

“You can learn from things, but the team’s done a wonderful job. I think we're further ahead than anyone anticipated -- really, ourselves included. So I can't look back on anything so far this year with anything other than fond memories.”