BEYOND THE GRID: Andrea Stella and Zak Brown on McLaren’s transformation and the Drivers’ Championship race
The McLaren chiefs are the latest guests on our Beyond The Grid podcast.
McLaren have won back-to-back Constructors’ titles for the first time since the early ‘90s. But just eight years ago, in 2017, they finished second to last, so how exactly have they transformed into World Champions since then?
Speaking to Beyond The Grid host Tom Clarkson at the McLaren Technology Centre, CEO Zak Brown and Team Principal Andrea Stella outline how they’ve masterminded McLaren’s remarkable turnaround together, revealing just how desperate the team’s situation was at the start of this journey – and how they’re planning to sustain their recent success in the years to come.
But in the immediate future, their eyes are on the next prize, as McLaren chase a first Drivers’ World Championship since Lewis Hamilton won in 2008.
Going into the final four rounds of the 2025 season, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are separated by just one point at the top of the standings.
Brown and Stella discuss how the pair have evolved during their time at McLaren, address criticism of their approach to this title fight, and discuss whether they’ll have any regrets should Max Verstappen beat both Norris and Piastri to the crown.
To listen to this week’s episode of Beyond The Grid, simply hit go on the audio player above or click here to listen via your preferred podcasting platform.
You can also check out a huge selection of previous episodes – spanning every decade of F1 – in our dedicated Beyond The Grid library here.
