Zak Brown explains why he turned down Formula 1 to join McLaren

Zak Brown has overseen the remarkable transformation of McLaren back into a championship-winning outfit. It turns out that McLaren stepped in just in time to snatch him from Formula 1 itself.

Brown revealed that he had an “opportunity” to work for Formula 1. He detailed his initial talks with Ron Dennis over joining McLaren, and the turning point which saw Brown choose McLaren over Formula 1.

Zak Brown ‘wanted to race’ with McLaren

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Brown came on board at McLaren in 2016 as executive director of McLaren Technology Group before assuming the role of McLaren Racing CEO in 2018.

Under Brown’s leadership, McLaren has recaptured its glory days, going from the lower reaches of the grid, to back-to-back constructors’ champions. 2025 was a title double, as Lando Norris became world champion, McLaren’s first since Lewis Hamilton in 2008.

But, McLaren was not the only one interested in Brown back in the day.

Speaking with The Race Business, Brown revealed that he could have worked for Formula 1 itself and was leaning towards that decision after initial talks with then-McLaren boss Ron Dennis.

However, the situation shifted when McLaren underwent changes at the top. Dennis departed and by the summer of 2017 had agreed to sell his remaining shares in McLaren Technology Group and McLaren Automotive.

Brown spoke of a McLaren opportunity being presented which was now “more exciting” than what Formula 1 was offering and, as such, he went down the McLaren route.

Asked if there was any truth to paddock whispers that he was once in talks, at the same time, to run F1 and with McLaren, Brown clarified: “I had an opportunity.

“Chase Carey [former F1 CEO and chairman] was brought in, 2016, who did a wonderful job.

“Chase actually used to be my client at DirecTV, so he was someone I knew. Didn’t know very well, because he was the big boss at DirecTV. Eric Schenks was also there, who is now the CEO of Fox Sports, who is one of the owners of IndyCar. Derek Chang [Liberty Media president and CEO] was there. He was on the programming side. So I knew all those guys.

“Very flattering. I actually thought I was going to go there [to Formula 1]. And then the McLaren opportunity presented itself.

“I’d been talking to Ron, but the role Ron was offering wasn’t as exciting as the Formula 1 opportunity.

“But then when the shareholders all divorced and Ron ended up leaving the company, then I was presented with something that was more exciting than the Formula 1 opportunity.

“Formula 1 was an unbelievable opportunity. But the thing I liked about McLaren is I like to race.

“When the lights go out, Bernie [Ecclestone] used to go home. When the lights go out, I want to go racing.

“So I just felt like it gave me the commercial excitement that Formula 1 would give me, the passion for the sport, to engage with the fans.

“But what it lacked was, when the lights go out, I didn’t want to go home. I wanted to race.”

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Brown described the McLaren team as a “mess” when he arrived, a team “disgruntled” and where “politics” were rife.

The fans, and McLaren’s limited sponsors at the time, “weren’t happy.”

But Brown saw “a great brand that needed to be rejuvenated.”

The team’s return to its iconic papaya was a signal of trying to become “a more exclusive brand, more energetic, colourful, friendly, warm – as opposed to what I call kind of Darth Vader: black and grey and cold and not very welcoming.”

Brown also “attacked the commercial side” as success there would mean “we could hire the best drivers, we could get new windtunnels, things of that nature.”

What has followed, Brown described as an “amazing run.”

After three title wins over the last two seasons, McLaren endured a challenging start to the new era of Formula 1 in F1 2026.

However, the recent signs are encouraging, and the team’s Miami upgrade package delivered a step forward in performance, as Norris challenged Mercedes’ Kimi Antonelli for the grand prix win.

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