McLaren CEO Zak Brown admitted it was “disappointing” that the team did not provide two-time Formula 1 champion Fernando Alonso with a better car for his second stint.
Alonso, 43, returned to McLaren in 2015 after driving for the team in an intense 2007 season alongside then-rookie Lewis Hamilton.
Unfortunately, when Alonso returned to McLaren he did not bring a title-winning car like he did in 2007 and instead the Spaniard was forced to compete in the difficult early years of Honda’s hybrid F1 engine project.
Although Alonso spent one final year with the Renault-led team in 2018, he decided to end his time at McLaren and took a two-year break. Brown regrets not being able to provide the F1 veteran with a more powerful car.
“If I ignore Lando (Norris) and Oscar (Piastri), because I’m obviously biased, I would say Fernando Alonso is a pretty special talent,” Brown told DAZN Spain.
“I have a great relationship with Fernando. It’s disappointing that we didn’t have a better car when he drove with us.”
“It’s great to watch him race, he’s very smart. And to see him still racing at the level he’s at as he gets older is great and a great friend.”
Brown joined McLaren as Executive Director in 2016 and was promoted to CEO 18 months later.
Since then, Brown has overseen the revival of McLaren and currently the papaya-painted cars are among the absolute best in the sport.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have each taken one win so far in 2024 and their combined efforts have helped McLaren to ten consecutive podium finishes and they are now within 42 points of Constructors’ Championship leaders Red Bull.
Alonso, meanwhile, returned to F1 with Alpine in 2021 and was again on the podium at the Qatar Grand Prix that same year.
When he moved to Aston Martin in 2023, the Spaniard achieved six podium finishes in the first eight races, showing that he remains one of F1’s elite drivers.
Alonso now has to watch his former team struggle for victories while Aston Martin fades into obscurity, but the future could look brighter for the Silverstone-based team.
Aston Martin has a state-of-the-art factory with a new wind tunnel due to come online ahead of an engine partnership with Honda in 2026.
In addition, the Silverstone-based team appears to be in pole position to secure the services of F1 design master Adrian Newey.
If all of these ingredients come together, Brown could regret not only not being able to provide Alonso with a quality car during his time at McLaren, but also having to watch him win in British Racing Green.
