McLaren ‘years away’ from return to summit

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Zak Brown has conceded that it is "going to take some time to fix" the problems that have contributed to the years of McLaren misery in Formula 1.

Zak Brown has conceded that it is "going to take some time to fix" the problems that have contributed to the years of McLaren misery in Formula 1.

Zak Brown has conceded that it is “going to take some time to fix” the problems that have contributed to the years of McLaren misery in Formula 1.

The time for change at the Woking team was prompted by race director Eric Boullier leaving his post on Wednesday and a staff re-shuffle swiftly followed with Gil de Ferran being appointed sporting director.

But, after becoming victims of their own hype, McLaren boss Brown now wants to lower expectations by giving a lengthy timescale to when he feels the team will be back fighting at the front.

“This is going to take some time to fix,” said Brown at Silverstone.

“I think we are years away. I don’t know if that’s two or 10, or somewhere in between. Probably more like somewhere inbetween, but I don’t want to get into predictions.

“I think we have to be very realistic and honest with ourselves, with our fans, with you [the media], to say that this is going to be a journey. I think everyone needs to recognise that.

“I think we had a good finish in the last race relative to where we started, but we were uncompetitive.

“Not much has changed since last race, so I think everyone needs to not starting having too high expectations, ourselves included, at Silverstone, because all that has really happened is five or six days have gone by.”

McLaren have not been on the podium since Australia 2014, while their last victory in Formula 1 came back in Brazil 2012.