Despite Inheriting Cutting Edge Advantage, Zak Brown Blamed by Lando Norris for Ruining McLaren’s Legacy

Imagine what the state of mind at McLaren would’ve been like if its upgrade overhaul—that team principal Andrea Stella and CEO Zak Brown were so confident about—hadn’t worked. It’s safe to say that the team’s morale would’ve been at an all-time low because the first half of 2023 would’ve shaped up to be one of its worst in history. McLaren is a brand associated with wins and championships, but the past decade has tarnished its legacy a little, and Lando Norris isn’t happy about it.

McLaren recently commissioned its new in-house worth wind tunnel, before which it had been using Toyota’s tunnel in Cologne, Germany. Even though it hasn’t been put to use yet, it’s tipped to improve the team’s efficiency in bringing upgrades and building more competitive cars. The McLaren Technology Centre is one of the most beautiful factories in F1, but that doesn’t make up for the lack of facilities inside, and Norris pointed out just that.

Lando Norris calls out Zak Brown & Co. for the disappointing past few seasons

When Norris joined McLaren in 2019, the team promised him a championship-winning car in the coming years, seeing how it was on an upward trajectory. In 2021, though, that trajectory seemed to have plateaued, and this season, it became a steep downward curve. With Norris’ future in Woking coming into question, McLaren’s upgrade overhaul was the saving grace, owing to which the Brit achieved two consecutive podium finishes in Silverstone and Hungary. 

While talking to Speedcafe about McLaren’s turnaround, Norris said, “[The improvements are] something I look forward to, and therefore, I’m very happy about, because the last few seasons have been pretty poor. I can honestly say they’ve been pretty poor in terms of, as a team, with our facility. Our facility looks amazing, but it’s not even up to the spec of what it has been of other teams.” With the new wind tunnel, he hopes McLaren can return to consistent winning ways.

Apart from the ambitious wind tunnel investment, the team has also overhauled other crucial facilities like upgraded simulation tools and a new manufacturing facility. Discussing all the off-track improvements, Norris said, “These little things also, wind tunnel, simulator, all these things, we’re now on track to what we should be doing and probably should have done years ago.” While Norris and McLaren are happy with the investments they’ve made, a Red Bull veteran handed them a reality check.

Read More: Lando Norris & Co.’s Clever Tactics Tipped to Destroy Lewis Hamilton While Max Verstappen Remains Elusive

Lando Norris & Co.’s investment might not pay dividends

Red Bull has been using the same wind tunnel since the 1960s. Despite the archaic facility, the Milton-Keynes team has been building cars capable of competing for championships. And in the past couple of seasons, it’s built cars no one can compete with. Former Red Bull driver David Coulthard said, “It’s not just how new your wind tunnel is, it’s about how predictable and repeatable the information is that gives them such an aero-efficient car.” Despite what Coulthard said, Andrea Stella isn’t concerned. 

The McLaren team principal said, “We are not worried about problems of correlation between the gallery and the machine because obviously we have done a work of validating the structure. The gallery was designed with some criteria to improve the correlation with the track. I’m even encouraged by what I’ve seen so far.” McLaren and Norris would look to continue their newfound form into the second half of the season. Considering how the 2024 regulations are the same as this year, their improvements will help them next season as well.

Do you think Lando Norris can help restore McLaren’s legacy and bring it back to glory?

WATCH THIS STORY | How Lando Norris Had a Chance to Go to Red Bull But Instead Chose McLaren