In an exclusive interview, McLaren CEO Zak Brown explains why he believes his team can manage two number one drivers in Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri
The modern era of Formula One is full of examples where leading teams paid a high price to have two drivers of equal standing. As recently as 2007, it cost both Hamilton and Alonso the world championship. In the end, the title went to Ferrari rival Räikkönen.
Other infamous rivalries such as Senna/Prost, Hamilton/Rosberg and Webber/Vettel had less of an impact on the final result as they took place in an era of dominance for their respective teams. Nevertheless, in various scenarios, they resulted in the team being destabilized and the driver pairings eventually broken up.
So while history suggests that two number one drivers in a team usually doesn’t work, McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes things will be different with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri.
Both Norris and Piastri scored their first Grand Prix victories before the 2024 summer break, cementing their status as top drivers on the grid.
Hungary caused initial irritation
While Norris celebrated an emotional victory in Miami after a five-year wait, Piastri’s breakthrough came in Hungary. However, the glory of his first victory was tarnished by an unfortunate strategy by the team, which had put Norris in the lead at one point, only for him to give it back very late on.
Norris expressed remorse for not swapping positions earlier and the matter was resolved internally. But it was the first indication of how awkward the situation could become in the future if McLaren continues to have a car capable of more one-two finishes.
But speaking exclusively to Motorsport.com, Brown insists that McLaren’s team culture is strong enough to manage Norris and Piastri in a head-to-head, even if the team’s own history is full of cautionary tales.
Brown: Both drive for the team
When asked why he thinks two equal drivers will work for McLaren this time around, Brown replies: “Relationships, communication and the two individuals we have.”
“You can’t have any illusions about that. They both want to be number one and they are both number one. We just don’t have any number two drivers.”
“But they drive for the team. They are the kind of individuals that I think can race hard against each other and see themselves as number 1 in their own minds while respecting that we field two number 1 cars. And we’ve always done that and we always will. “
Brown does not rule out the possibility of favoring one driver over the other when it comes to the drivers’ championship. But with Norris 78 points behind Max Verstappen and Piastri a further 32 points behind, he says that time has not yet come for McLaren.
Team orders are allowed in the title fight
“Of course, if later in the championship it looks like one driver has more chances than the other, then you could start to take a different strategic approach,” he conceded. “But we treat them equally.”
“They know that, they enjoy that and they respect our decisions when we sometimes have to make concessions. They’ve been very respectful about it. So I think we’re lucky to have the two individuals that we have.”
Brown does not see the management of Norris and Piastri as an endurance test for the team culture that he and Team Principal Andrea Stella are trying to build. “I think cultures develop by themselves,” says the American.
“You set the direction and the tone, but you can’t force it. Andrea and I and everyone here are racers. We are fair, we pursue performance quite aggressively, but in a fair way, not ‘win at all costs’. I think the team is like that too, so there’s a great atmosphere in the garage. “