“I think we’re going to have to (win).” Zak Brown, McLaren Racing’s CEO, beamed with confidence before the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. His stellar team moved mountains this year. It won five races and clinched 14 podiums in a row, the second-most amount, consecutively in the history of McLaren. While emerging as a fierce contender to Redbull, Brown’s team narrowly missed the driver’s championship. However, the other title did not elude them.

McLaren’s first Constructors’ Championship came in 1998, 26 years ago. In the last three decades, repeating that title became a possibility this year. McLaren already held an advantage, with 21 points over Ferrari. All the teams All the team needed was a fiery spark of confidence that its chief duly supplied.

Zak Brown fueled the passion for glory

The Woking-based team was founded by New Zealander Bruce McLaren in 1963. Through six decades, McLaren has collected several trophies, with only Ferrari boasting a higher number. The two longest-running teams in the sport faced off again on Sunday, at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, for the constructor’s championship.

Both McLaren drivers were well-prepared – but Oscar Piastri faced an early-race spin. The need to win now weighed down on Lando Norris, who faced two Ferrari rivals, Charles Leclerc and Carlos Sainz Jr. Despite Leclerc’s 10-place grid penalty and qualifying difficulties, Zak Brown chose to be cautious. “It’s a Ferrari track,” he warned, surmising that the Italians are favorites in Abu Dhabi.

Eventually, however, Lando Norris executed a spectacular job and won the Abu Dhabi GP. As celebrations unfolded within the McLaren fold, appreciation also doubled for the team’s boss. Zak Brown held onto his hope for securing a Constructor’s title through thick and thin. Journalist Adam Stern posted on X about what that title meant for Brown.“Everything. It kind of feels like one of these iconic teams that haven’t won the Super Bowl, the World Series, the Premier League for a long time.”

The path to this victorious culmination was a thorny one. Zak Brown’s outfit emerged as a capable contender in 2024, hounding Red Bull. The latter team struggled with balance issues in the RB20 mid-season. Coinciding with diminishing returns in the evolving ground effect era, these challenges weakened Red Bull’s dominance. Mclaren took the championship lead in Baku but faced pressure from Ferrari in the season’s final races. A dramatic battle ensued at Yas Marina, where McLaren started the final race with a 21-point lead over the Maranello outfit.

Eventually though, Zak Brown snapped a 26-season winless streak. And he made no secret of his admiration for Norris.

A slight jab amidst a happy shower

Indeed, Lando Norris flawlessly carried McLaren’s dream to realization. Ferrari driver Leclerc posed a threat, recovering from P19 to P3, while his teammate Sainz was in 2nd. However, Norris led the race from the pole position and crossed the finish line without the risk of errors. No rival cars caught up to him either, as he was nearly six seconds ahead of Sainz at the chequered flag.

This stellar job prompted an outpouring of commendations from his team and his boss, Zak Brown. The latter also managed to take a cheeky dig at Red Bull and Max Verstappen by referencing the four-time world champion’s signature post-victory phrase: “Simply lovely.”

Verstappen beat his rivals at the Las Vegas GP and took home the driver’s championship. However, Zak Brown did not let that bog down his team for the remaining victory. As Norris carried his team to glory, Brown was overjoyed at his success. He continued, “Lando, you are awesome. We love you. Thank you. Thank you for an awesome year.”

Brown added that despite Piastri’s misfortune, no new obstacles hindered the team – that saved him from a nervous breakdown. “I mean, Lando drove brilliantly. Unfortunate what happened to Oscar at the start, but the team was flawless. The [execution of] pit stop was great. And I think I was the only one that was about ready to have a heart attack for two hours.”

Evidently, Zak Brown’s enthusiasm helped propel the team to victory. With lofty ambitions, McLaren will set its sight for a double championship next year.