McLaren’s F1 Revival Ignited by Young Guns Securing First Title Since ’98
F1’s Latest chapter: McLaren’s Second Title in 26 Years
In 1998, Lando Norris was just a few days old when McLaren last won the Formula 1 (F1) Constructors’ Championship. It was a momentous occasion, with Mika Hakkinen and David Coulthard leading the charge. But 26 years later, the duo in papaya overalls and their resilient crew have upstaged the likes of Red Bull Racing and Scuderia Ferrari to clinch the 2024 F1 constructors’ title at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
From Struggle to Success
In the not-so-distant past, McLaren’s F1 cars were as bare as the marketing budget. The company was forced to sell most of its assets, including its Technology Centre, to stay afloat. When Zak Brown joined as CEO in 2016, the team’s lineup consisted of world champions Fernando Alonso and Jenson Button, but it wasn’t the ideal fit. The years that followed saw a switch from Honda to Renault engines, with Stoffel Vandoorne joining Alonso in 2017. The Belgian’s stint was so successful, I forgot it even happened.
The Power of Teamwork
The effort required to assemble the right people for a championship-winning team across seasons cannot be overemphasized. It’s not just about the drivers, but the right team principal, partners, sponsors, and even the right tire changers. Every individual counts. With two young guns behind the wheel, McLaren started 2023 hoping to reclaim its position as a top-notch team. They finished fourth in the constructors’ championship, with Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri securing sixth and ninth spots on the drivers’ table. But 2024 was meant to be McLaren’s year, and every decision made since 2016 was geared towards winning the constructors’ championship and securing a big share of the FIA’s prize money.
Brown’s Leadership and Lando’s Performance
Zak Brown, speaking to F1.com, praised his team’s leader, Andrea Stella, saying, "He’s done a fantastic job of leading this team. He’s an unbelievable leader, he leads by example, empowers people, and he’s very technical – he pushes everyone to get the best out of them, and that’s what we saw tonight. Lando drove brilliantly, unfortunate what happened to Oscar at the start. But we executed the pit stop flawlessly, and I think I was the only one who was ready to have a heart attack for two hours. That race, [Lando] carried us."
The Road Ahead
There’s no bigger confidence booster in F1 than winning the first or last race of the season. It sends the team off to the winter break empowered and ready for the new challenge, or it confidently takes home the crown. Furthermore, it sends rivals home feeling like they’re a step behind, leaving them with months to digest the defeat. We’ll have to wait until March to see if McLaren arrives at the Australian Grand Prix with a dominant car, but what’s clear is that Lando and Oscar must be taken seriously – neither will rest until they win titles of their own.
