Thrilling F1 Season Ahead: Zak Brown Predicts Four-Way Championship Battle

Zak Brown, McLaren's chief executive, anticipates an exciting Formula One season with a potential four-way championship battle. Following McLaren's rise to the top as constructors' champions last year, Brown expects other teams could replicate their success. A tightly contested field is predicted, with strong competition from several leading drivers and teams.

Zak Brown, the chief executive of McLaren, has set the stage for an electrifying Formula One season, predicting a four-way championship battle. Following McLaren's remarkable achievement as constructors' champions last year, Brown believes that rival teams might emulate their success.

McLaren clinched the constructors' title last season for the first time in 26 years, after finishing fourth in 2023 and fifth in 2022. A challenging 24-race campaign saw seven different drivers from four teams winning at least twice. Brown foresees the top four teams being tightly matched, similar to the last season's end.

Red Bull's Max Verstappen will aim for his fifth consecutive championship, with strong challenges expected from McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton, and Charles Leclerc. Notably, Hamilton's switch from Mercedes to Ferrari adds a compelling narrative to the competition. Brown also revealed that Andrea Stella, a pivotal figure in McLaren's success, initially declined the team's principal role in 2020 before accepting in 2022.

(With inputs from agencies.)