Zak Brown makes bold McLaren driver claim as team gears up for F1 2024 bid

Henry Valantine 22 Dec 2023 4:45 PM

Lando Norris, McLaren, and Oscar Piastri, McLaren, celebrate after Qualifying

Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have established a productive partnership at McLaren.

Zak Brown believes McLaren hold the best driver line-up in Formula 1 between them, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri at the team.

The pair also represented the youngest combined line-up on the Formula 1 grid in 2023, but Norris was heading into his fifth season as Piastri joined the grid for his rookie year.

Norris was on the podium seven times in 2023 as Piastri scooped Sprint victory in Qatar, before two Grand Prix podiums of his own as his experience grew.

Zak Brown claims McLaren hold best combined driver line-up in Formula 1

McLaren started the season near the back of the field and soon realised they took the wrong development direction with the MCL60, swiftly setting to work on changes that would come to the car by mid-season.

These improvements sent Norris and Piastri almost instantly towards the front of the field, and McLaren CEO Brown highlighted the early laps at Silverstone as one of his favourite moments of the season, before pointing out his belief in the strength of his driver pairing.

“A personal highlight for me this year was our home race at Silverstone when Lando burst into the lead at the start, with Oscar following close behind,” Brown wrote in an open letter on McLaren’s website.

“Hearing the British fans erupt from the grandstands was a truly spine-tingling moment.

“Lando has been at the top of his game in 2023, showing tremendous pace and terrific racecraft.

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“He can often be hard on himself when he makes a mistake, but his seven podiums are a testament to his speed and determination. That first win for him is just around the corner.

“I believe we have the strongest driver pairing on the Formula 1 grid.

“Many agree that Oscar has been a revelation in his rookie campaign, and he has already shown he is able to fight at the front with the likes of Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen.

“It was a shame he missed out on a podium at Silverstone, due to the timing of the Safety Car, but he did achieve his first at Suzuka before his brilliant victory in the Qatar Sprint, both of which prove he is an exceptional talent.

“With a new contract that takes Oscar with us through to the end of 2026, I’ve no doubt he’ll continue to impress as he gains more experience.”