McLaren: Prestige, not money, main reward for third place
McLaren Formula 1 team chairman Zak Brown insists that the squad's jump to third place in the world championship is more about prestige than any financial benefit.
McLaren pipped rival Racing Point to third at the season finale in Abu Dhabi last weekend, with Lando Norris and Carlos Sainz finishing fifth and sixth.
The jump from fourth to third represents a significant step in the team’s share of the F1 prize fund, and may also have triggered sponsor bonuses, as contracts often specify extra payments based on championship performance.
The result came on the same day that McLaren announced significant new investment from a US consortium. However, Brown insisted it wasn’t about the finances.
“It's sporting prestige,” Brown told Motorsport.com. “The money's obviously nice. But when you're on the pit wall, you're thinking about it purely from the sporting standpoint. And then you get to the office on Monday, and you think about the financial side.
“The team's done an unbelievable job to do everything we've been through this year, bringing on a new investor at the weekend, and then clinching third in the championship when we had a very good car, but clearly last year's Mercedes is faster!
“Couldn't have wrote it better. But it's so tight. We could have been fifth this weekend and have a totally different conversation.”
Brown says improving on this year’s third place and closing the gap to Mercedes and Red Bull in 2021 will be a much tougher challenge.
The American also expects to see a resurgence from Ferrari after the Italian team faded to sixth place this season.
"I think it will be harder,” he said. “I think we got to keep our feet on the ground. You've got to expect Ferrari to come back strong next year. We know they're gonna have two very strong drivers, in Carlos [Sainz] and Charles [Leclerc].
“I think you got to assume they're gonna be right back where we expected them to be this year. So I think it's gonna get real tough from here on out.
"We've got everything we need now, especially with our new investors. Andreas [Seidl] has done an outstanding job. I think we're just getting started, but it's gonna get harder.”
Brown said the well-matched driver pairing of Norris and Sainz was key to McLaren’s resurgence, and gave the team an edge over Renault and Racing Point.
“If you look, [Esteban] Ocon came on strong at the end, but Daniel [Ricciardo] carried the team there.
“And then Sergio [Perez] is at a whole other level. And he carried the team there. So I think we've benefited from having two very strong drivers, as opposed to one.”
Related video
Previous article
F1 entry fees revealed as teams costs are cut
Next article
Why Abu Dhabi's biggest disappointment wasn't lack of action
About this article
| Series | Formula 1 |
| Teams | McLaren |
| Author | Adam Cooper |
The defining traits that set F1’s best apart
What makes the very best drivers in Formula 1 stand out among what is already a highly elite bunch? Andrew Benson takes a closer look at those with the special blend of skill, judgment, feel and attitude that sets only a select few apart from the rest.
The updates Williams hopes will lead to a point-scoring return
After producing a car which demonstrated progress but lacked the points to prove it last year, Williams starts its new era of team ownership with the FW43B, its bid to continue the climb up the Formula 1 grid in 2021
How Ferrari plans to recover from its 2020 F1 nightmare
The 2020 Formula 1 season was Ferrari's worst for 40 years as it slumped to sixth in the standings. A repeat performance will not be acceptable for the proud Italian team, which has adopted a notably pragmatic approach to forging its path back to the top
Why Aston Martin’s arrival is more than just new green livery
In the most eagerly anticipated Formula 1 team launch of the season, the rebranded Aston Martin squad’s changes go much further than the striking paint job. But rather than a restart, the team hopes to build on top of solid foundations.
The car Aston Martin begins its new F1 journey with
The team formerly known as Racing Point gambled successfully on a Mercedes look-alike in 2020 as it mounted a strong challenge for third in the constructors' race and won the Sakhir GP. Now clothed in British racing green, Aston Martin's first Formula 1 challenger since 1960 provides the clearest indicator yet of what to expect from the new-for-2021 regulations
The tricky driver conundrums facing Mercedes in F1 2021
Ahead of the new Formula 1 season, reigning world champions Mercedes will take on challenges both old and new. This also can be said for its driver conundrum which could become key to sustaining its ongoing success...
How Alpine's cure to 2021 F1 rules starts at the front
A new name, new faces and new colours pulls the rebranded Alpine Formula 1 team into a new era while carrying over core elements of its 2020 car. But under the surface there's more than meets the eye with the A521 which hints at how the team will tackle 2021...
Can Mercedes' W12 retain the team's crown?
Replacing Formula 1's fastest car was never going to be an easy feat for Mercedes. Amid the technical rule tweaks to peg back the W12 and its 2021 rivals, the new Mercedes challenger will remain the target to beat
