Since 2026 will bring a new technical regulation, major car revolutions are unlikely in the upcoming season. Teams are already heavily focused on the next cycle, which begins in less than twelve months, especially given the budget cap restrictions.

Despite this, 2025 could be one of the most competitive seasons in recent years, with McLaren, Mercedes, Ferrari, and Red Bull set to battle race after race for ultimate success.

Zak Brown’s surprise name
Speaking to Sky Sports, the McLaren CEO shared his predictions for the next championship. “I believe Norris will be among the favorites to win the 2025 world title, along with Piastri, Hamilton, Verstappen, Charles, and Russell,” said Zak Brown. “As for Antonelli, I think he will win a couple of races. Even though he’s a rookie, with 24 races on the calendar, he will certainly have his chances.” – the McLaren chief executive officer pointed out.

“Lawson will be very fast, I have no doubt. And we must not underestimate Fernando Alonso. It’s going to be an epic season,” Zak Brown added.

This is not the first time the McLaren boss has spoken highly of the two-time world champion. A few months ago, he had already emphasized Alonso’s talent despite his age compared to his rivals. “Fernando is incredible. He has a fire inside that allows him to exceed the car’s potential. He can still win races and championships if given the opportunity,” Zak Brown had stated.

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Nearly a week after the last Formula 1 GP of the season, the fight for the title is still being discussed. Specifically, McLaren CEO Zak Brown revealed how close the Woking team came to losing the Constructors’ Championship during the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix at the 5.281-kilometre Yas Marina Circuit on Yas Island. Here’s what happened.

The final weekend was dominated by the papaya-colored team. From Friday’s first two free practice sessions, it was clear that both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were the fastest on the grid. For Ferrari, only a miracle could have changed their fate, especially considering Charles Leclerc’s grid penalties. Things worsened further on Saturday.

After Charles Leclerc’s Q2 lap time was deleted, forcing him to start from 19th on the grid, the championship was already leaning toward England. Even though Oscar Piastri was hit by Verstappen on the first lap of the race, Lando Norris delivered one of his best performances.

The British driver claimed victory and secured the Constructors’ Championship for McLaren after 26 years. His advantage over Carlos Sainz at the checkered flag was 5.8 seconds. According to CEO Zak Brown, their chances of victory were seriously threatened during the pit stop phase.

“I would never have wanted to be one of the mechanics tasked with executing a two-second pit stop. And they nailed it. After a 24-race season, we were about 0.7 tenths away from losing the championship. Lando came back on track with a gap of around 1.6 or 1.7 seconds over Carlos Sainz, and Carlos was faster,” said Zak Brown.

“If he had been slightly closer, maybe even with DRS, we wouldn’t have been able to defend. Ferrari is very fast on the straights, and Lando was in dirty air,” Zak Brown continued. “The mechanics pulled off one of the best pit stops of the race, and they were incredible. It’s amazing.” – the McLaren chief executive officer.

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As the paddock arrives in Qatar for this weekend’s Grand Prix, McLaren holds a 24-point advantage over Ferrari at the top of the standings. However, their lead narrowed slightly following a challenging race in Las Vegas, where Lando Norris finished sixth and Oscar Piastri crossed the line in seventh.

Red Bull’s struggles were even more pronounced, as Max Verstappen’s fifth-place finish and Sergio Perez’s tenth yielded just 11 points for the team, leaving them 53 points adrift of McLaren. While it remains possible for one of the leading teams to suffer a low-scoring weekend in the remaining rounds, Red Bull’s recent form suggests this may not be enough to turn the tide in their favor.

Perez’s performances have been a key concern, as the Mexican driver has managed just one top-six finish since the Miami Grand Prix in May. For instance, even if the Dutchman were to secure victory and Sergio Perez placed no higher than seventh, rival teams achieving second and third positions would still outscore them.

Despite their current challenges, Red Bull celebrated a significant milestone in Las Vegas, clinching their eighth drivers’ championship in 20 seasons. Across their 391 races, the team has accumulated an impressive record of 121 wins, 103 pole positions, and 280 podium finishes.

Zak Brown praises Ferrari as McLaren’s key rival

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown shared his admiration for Ferrari, suggesting he holds the legendary team in higher regard than Red Bull. Speaking on the *Business of Sport* podcast, Brown highlighted the prestige of Ferrari and McLaren, two of the sport’s most iconic names, as this season’s primary title contenders.

Ferrari remains the only team to have competed in over 1000 Grands Prix and leads in all-time statistics, including 31 combined championships and 248 wins. The Scuderia aims to end its title drought, which dates back to 2008.

McLaren, meanwhile, hasn’t secured a constructors’ championship since the late 1990s. In recent history, Mercedes dominated from 2014 to 2021, with Red Bull reclaiming the top spot in the subsequent years.

Despite their intense rivalry on track, McLaren and Ferrari have maintained a respectful relationship this season. Zak Brown himself playfully joined in on the celebrations after former McLaren driver Carlos Sainz’s victory at the Mexico City Grand Prix, cheekily “photobombing” Ferrari’s team photo in the pit lane.

“Which rival team do you respect most?” he was quizzed in a quickfire question round – “Ferrari,” was his one-word reply – the McLaren chief executive officer replied.

Zak Brown’s ongoing feud with Christian Horner and Helmut Marko fuels McLaren-Red Bull rivalry

Zak Brown’s decision not to single out Red Bull for praise comes as little surprise, given his history of verbal clashes with key figures at the Milton Keynes-based team. The tension between McLaren and Red Bull reached new heights after the Austrian Grand Prix, where Max Verstappen collided with Lando Norris in the closing stages of the race.

Zak Brown was vocal in his criticism of Christian Horner, calling out the Red Bull team boss for what he described as “inappropriate” post-race radio comments that shifted the blame onto Norris. The McLaren CEO also took aim at Red Bull’s handling of their 2021 cost cap breach, accusing them of disrespecting their competitors with their justifications.

Another chapter in this escalating rivalry unfolded in October, when Zak Brown publicly rebuked Helmut Marko for remarks he interpreted as a slight on Lando Norris’s mental fortitude. Helmut Marko, in turn, accused Brown of misrepresenting his comments to stir up “unrest” within the paddock.

The friction hasn’t been limited to verbal exchanges. Technical disputes have also fueled the animosity, most notably when McLaren was compelled to adjust their rear wing design following protests from Red Bull’s camp. With the 2025 Formula One season set to proceed under largely stable regulations, these tensions are likely to persist, ensuring that the McLaren-Red Bull rivalry remains as intense off the track as it is on it.

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In fact, the Woking-based team finished in fifth place, 395 points behind Ferrari and was also overtaken by the French Alpine team. The regulation change clearly did not favor McLaren, although a fourth position would have been within reach with a more competitive driver than Daniel Ricciardo, who only scored 37 points as compared to the 122 collected by Lando Norris.

Zak Brown, managing director of the team, was not surprised by Scuderia Ferrari’s obvious step forward: “They had all the tools to produce the car which they then took to the track, starting from the wind tunnel. Let’s not forget that they had an engine problem in the past which appeared to damage them once the FIA intervened. But it doesn’t surprise me how fast they progress, they have the drivers, they have the budget and the infrastructure to compete at the top.” – Zak Brown pointed out.

The American manager drew a comparison with McLaren: “We had the budget, we had excellent driver training, even if we had difficulties with Daniel, but we don’t have the infrastructure, given that our simulator and wind tunnel will function in the near future”.

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In the interview with RacingNews365, Zak Brown said he was optimistic for the future of the team: “When we have everything available, we intend to challenge the top three teams and be with them. We are well aware that some deficits of our car derive from this delay with the technological infrastructures“.

Finally, the US manager confirmed that the new rules introduced last season helped Formula 1 make a step in the right direction: “The races were fantastic, and although the season was dominated by a team, it certainly wasn’t boring. If I think back to when Michael Schumacher dominated, the races were a continuous yawn from the start. Now the GPs are much more exciting than the results say”. – he concluded.

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Ross Brawn added that he had noticed a change in the Finn: “But I do think that during his interview by his former teammate Felipe Massa (on the podium after the Italian Grand Prix), he became quite emotional watching the huge sea of fans flocking across the track to stand under the podium and chant his name. Since I returned to Formula 1 last year, I’ve noticed how Kimi has lightened up. It can be seen in a lot of little things, such as spending a bit more time signing autographs or smiling for cameras that in the past would usually have only elicited a scowl. This year, he is certainly driving better than at any time since he returned to Ferrari and maybe another chance (to win) will come along soon.” – Former Ferrari technical director Ross Brawn concluded.

An announcement to that effect is expected soon in Formula One circles, with the series heading to Singapore for next week’s race. Kimi Raikkonen is the oldest driver in the sport and remains the last Ferrari driver to have won a title and one of the most popular on the starting grid. Nicknamed ‘The Iceman’ for his often glacial demeanor, his dour nature and dislike of media and sponsor engagements has also endeared him to many fans who see him as a throwback to a bygone era. The Finn appears to have softened this season, however, while raising his game on the track.

At Monza, Ferrari’s home track in Italy, last weekend he started on pole — after the fastest ever Formula One lap — and finished second to world champion Lewis Hamilton to record his 100th career podium.

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The fins made a return to Formula One car design for the 2017 season and as well as providing aerodynamic aid, also provided teams with additional surface area for sponsorship and enlarged race numbers, making it easier for fans to identify individual drivers. As a result, a plan had been discussed between teams in order to keep them for the next F1 championship and beyond but it was vetoed by McLaren who believe the fins block the valuable sponsorship real estate of the rear wings.

Maurizio Arrivabene questioned Zak Brown’s logic, suggesting it was hypocritical for McLaren to cite sponsorship space as a reason for removing the fins when they in fact offer an even greater area for sponsors’ logos: “What is quite funny is that Zak said that the fin was interfering with the rear wing, and in the meantime he said he would like to have more commercial space.” – Scuderia Ferrari’s team principal said, as reported by the Italian media – “So somehow he is removing the fin and doesn’t have any more that commercial space, and on top he needs to find space for the number, so I think there is something wrong here.”

Zak Brown has now continued the discussion, stating that the removal of the shark fins was essential for his team and its sponsors: “The fin blocks the rear wing because it is too tall. What we proposed was an engine fin that started to come down and never broke the plane of the lowest part of the rear wing. If you look now on television, the second most exposed part of the racing car was the rear wing. Now, no matter what angle you are at, because of the height of the [shark] fin, and how close it comes, you never get clear visibility. So all we wanted to do was bring it down. You could still have the number but you open up the rear wing because the rear wing is more valuable than the shark fin. So I have absolutely done it for commercial reasons. But we go into the Strategy Group meetings and we need to start thinking more commercially about the decisions we make. I can tell you that from sitting in them, they are 90% technical and we don’t think through that if we do something, what are the commercial implications on the engine fins, for example?” – McLaren’s Executive Director explained.

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