Zak Brown: McLaren Still Has a Fighting Chance for the Title
McLaren's Zak Brown insists Lando Norris remains in the championship hunt following his pole position at the Spanish Grand Prix. Despite a challenging season, Brown believes the gap to the leader can still be closed.
Lando Norris is set to lead the pack from pole position at the inaugural race at the Madring this Sunday, and McLaren's Zak Brown is not ready to count his team out of the title race just yet. With characteristic optimism, Brown stated, "until it's not possible, it's possible," following Norris' unexpected performance in qualifying.
Norris, who found himself "shocked" by clinching pole, almost kissed the wall at the final corner, adding a touch of drama to his otherwise stellar lap. This result was even more surprising given that Norris had missed nearly all of Friday's Free Practice 2 due to a gearbox issue, yet bounced back to top the charts on Saturday.
McLaren and Norris have found their groove this season after a sluggish start under the new 2026 regulations, managing to secure consecutive victories in Hungary and the Netherlands. However, they still trail leader Kimi Antonelli by 96 points, with ten races left on the calendar.
Drawing inspiration from last season, where Max Verstappen overcame a 104-point deficit to Norris' teammate Oscar Piastri, Brown is not ruling out a similar comeback. "It's definitely possible," he remarked, emphasizing the unpredictable nature of the current F1 season due to less reliable new power units.
The upcoming race at the Madring promises to be a tactical affair, with overtaking expected to be tricky on the high-speed track and tire degradation potentially playing a significant role in the outcome. Brown acknowledged that while Antonelli will likely focus on securing points for his own championship quest, the race won't be a walk in the park for anyone.
"I think he wants to win, we want to win," Brown commented, highlighting the shared ambition between McLaren and Antonelli. "Kimi is racing for a championship and Lando is racing for a championship."
Despite the calm atmosphere leading up to the race, Brown expects a thrilling contest with aggressive strategies likely to come into play. "Difficult to pass, so we just need a clean start," he noted, adding that the long pit lane could also influence strategies.
Reflecting on the team's progress, Brown expressed pride in McLaren's ability to improve their car's performance over the weekend, admitting that securing pole was not on the cards as of Friday.
As the Spanish Grand Prix approaches, McLaren's tenacity will be put to the test, and Brown's belief in the team's potential comeback remains steadfast.