The Risk of Repetition
The CEO of McLaren, Zak Brown, has acknowledged that there is a “risk” of the team repeating a similar scenario to that of 2007 in the current season, amidst the intense battle for the Formula 1 title between its two drivers, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, and the four-time world champion of Red Bull, Max Verstappen.
In 2007, the British team saw its two drivers, the then-rookie Lewis Hamilton and the two-time champion Fernando Alonso, come into conflict while competing against each other for the championship. The rivalry ultimately allowed Kimi Raikkonen of Ferrari to overtake both and win the title in the last race of the year.
Despite the current pressure with its two drivers, Brown stated that the team does not intend to interfere in the internal dispute, even with the risk of paving the way for an external rival. “That’s the risk, isn’t it? If you have two drivers like in 2007, who finished with the same score and Kimi beat them by a hair’s breadth,” said the executive. “But that’s how McLaren wants to run. We want to have two drivers who are capable of winning the championship.”
Zak Brown further emphasized that he does not intend to establish a hierarchy between his drivers, highlighting the importance of competitiveness for the team’s ambitions in the constructors’ championship as well. “On the other hand, when you establish a number one and a number two, that compromises your constructors’ championship,” he stated. “Therefore, this is a tough sport. We are competitors. We want to go to the races.”
“We want both drivers to have a chance to win the championship, and that brings some risks, like in 2007,” he added. “But we are all aware of this and prepared for the possibility that this could be the outcome,” concluded the American.
A Delicate Balance
With the tensions and pressures, McLaren saw Oscar Piastri lose ground. The team has not won races since the Italian GP, and the Australian saw Norris close in, now only 14 points behind the lead. Meanwhile, Verstappen is in an impressive moment and is 40 points behind the lead.
The situation is delicate, and the team must balance the competitive spirit of its drivers with the need to work together to achieve the common goal of winning the championship. The risk of repeating the 2007 scenario is real, but McLaren is prepared to take that risk in pursuit of success.
