AUSTIN — Through the FIA Press Convention on Thursday, McLaren driver Lando Norris declared that no matter how the season ends, will probably be a yr for himself and McLaren to be happy with.
On Friday his boss echoed that sentiment.
Talking within the FIA Press Convention on Friday right here in Austin, McLaren CEO Zak Brown outlined that whether or not McLaren wins the F1 Constructors’ Championship or not — and whether or not Norris can catch Max Verstappen within the Drivers’ Championship or not — 2024 has been an “superior” yr for McLaren.
“An superior season,” acknowledged Brown when requested how he would view this season in terms of a detailed in Abu Dhabi. “We’ve gained 5 races. 14 … 15 podiums in a row. So whatever the final result, as a result of this can be a troublesome sport and we have now superior opponents, I feel no matter the place we end in both or each championships, you gotta say all of the women and men at McLaren have accomplished an impressive job to place 5 race wins and the quantity of podiums that we’ve had for each drivers collectively.
“So we’ll positively look again on this yr happy with what we’ve achieved.”
Brown was requested on a number of events in regards to the workforce’s possibilities in each of these championships, and he pointed to the proficient F1 area as a cause he’s all the time wanting within the “rear-view mirror.”
“We’re clearly main within the Constructors’, so we have to proceed to take action. Pink Bull shouldn’t be far behind and I feel Ferrari, from judging them this morning, is perhaps the quickest workforce. So I feel, , we’re fearful about each of them,” outlined Brown.
“Then on the Drivers’ Championship, , Max is an superior racing driver so his dangerous days are usually a second or third place. And we’re gonna want Lando to win plenty of races, and Max to have an unusually dangerous day, worse than a second or third. As a result of I feel if Lando goes and wins the whole lot and Max finishes second in all, I nonetheless don’t suppose you get the job accomplished.
“So, that one’s gonna be somewhat bit harder.
“Loads of racing must go, and so we simply have to maintain doing what we are able to to help [Lando] and hope that we are able to get one if not each.”
Brown described the temper round McLaren because the workforce heads into this pivotal closing stretch as “anxious to get again to the racetrack,” however famous that his message to the workforce is relatively easy.
Maintain doing what you might be doing.
“It’s maintain doing what you do, maintain doing what you’re doing. It’s working,” stated Brown when requested what his message to the workforce is down the stretch.
“So I feel there’s no cause to vary what received us to the place we’re then to do something totally different than what we’ve been doing and maintain our head down as a result of we acknowledge how shortly the game may change,” continued Brown.
In the mean time McLaren leads Pink Bull by 41 factors within the Constructors’ Championship, and Norris trails Verstappen by 52 factors within the Drivers’ Championship. However with six Grands Prix remaining, and a trio of F1 Dash Races as nicely, neither title is near being determined.
