In the opening round of the 2024 Formula 1 season, McLaren finished nearly 50 seconds off the Bahrain race winner Max Verstappen. By all accounts, it seemed like Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were in for a difficult season with a car significantly off the pace. But Formula 1 is, after all, the sport that never sleeps, and McLaren has pulled off one of the greatest comebacks in the history of the sport. For the first time in twenty-six years, the constructor’s championship has been won by the Woking-based team.
McLaren’s championship triumph in 2024 is a testament to resilience, visionary leadership, and the sheer talent of its drivers. This victory represents the culmination of nearly a decade of effort to claw back to the forefront of Formula 1, starting from one of the team’s darkest periods during the Honda partnership era. Once a dominant force in F1, McLaren faced significant challenges with uncompetitive power units, public spats with suppliers, and a rapid decline in their performance. By the mid-2010s, McLaren seemed a shadow of its former self, languishing near the back of the grid and with seemingly no way back to the front of it.
The arrival of Zak Brown as McLaren Racing’s CEO in 2016 marked the first step in the team’s resurgence. Brown, a shrewd businessman with a deep passion for motorsport, stabilised McLaren’s finances while cultivating a culture of innovation and accountability. Under his leadership, McLaren diversified its motorsport interests, returning to IndyCar and endurance racing while reaffirming its F1 ambitions. His decision to part ways with Honda and bring Renault on board as a stopgap engine supplier allowed McLaren to begin rebuilding its technical platform.
But one of Brown’s most consequential decisions came in promoting Andrea Stella to team principal in 2023. Stella, a seasoned engineer with years of experience alongside legendary drivers like Michael Schumacher and Fernando Alonso, brings a methodical approach to team leadership. His tenure has seen a seamless blend of technical expertise and a people-first management style that galvanised the team. Stella’s emphasis on collaborative problem-solving and long-term planning was instrumental in McLaren’s meteoric rise, enabling them to develop a car in 2024 that was not only fast but remarkably reliable—the key to any championship campaign.
The driver pairing of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri proved to be the perfect balance of experience and raw talent. Many doubted Norris’s decision to commit to McLaren for the long term. But now, in his sixth season with McLaren, Norris and the team have come into their own. His performances have stepped up this year and earned him several race wins and numerous podium finishes in 2024. Meanwhile, Piastri, in only his second full F1 season, stunned the paddock with his composure and speed. The young Australian’s
breakout year included a maiden Grand Prix victory and a string of points-scoring finishes that kept McLaren firmly ahead in the standings. And therein lies the make-up of McLaren’s success. It’s a result of teamwork, of cohesion at the highest level from every single person and department in the team.
McLaren’s Constructors’ Championship in 2024 is more than just a victory—it’s a redemption story. It highlights how perseverance, visionary leadership, and the relentless pursuit of excellence can restore a legacy. With the team firing on all cylinders, McLaren has not only rewritten its narrative but also reignited the hopes of its fans around the world. The once-struggling team is now the benchmark for success in Formula 1, poised to usher in a new golden era.
