Three wins aren't enough: McLaren's Zak Brown has his eyes firmly on 2027

Abu Dhabi: McLaren Racing is already looking beyond the end of the 2026 Formula 1 season, with chief executive Zak Brown saying the team is preparing for another push in 2027 after a campaign that has delivered three Grand Prix victories but left plenty of room for improvement.

"We're not satisfied with just three wins. Hopefully, we'll be able to add to that tally," Brown told Gulf News during the unveiling of Etihad Airways' McLaren-branded Boeing 787 Dreamliner in Abu Dhabi.

With the 2026 season approaching its conclusion, Brown said the team's immediate focus was on preparing for the next campaign and finding a way back to the top of the sport.

"Having won the championship the last couple of years, we have some work to do to get back to the climb back up to the top of the mountain, but that's the game plan," he said.

McLaren enters the final stretch of the season with a formidable recent record. The team secured the 2024 and 2025 Constructors' Championships, while Lando Norris won the 2025 Drivers' Championship, his first world title.

But the transition into the 2026 season has not been straightforward. The team has faced a more competitive field and has not managed to replicate its previous championship-winning dominance.

Norris' victory at the Sao Paulo Grand Prix on November 8 was McLaren's third win of the season, giving the team some late-season momentum.

For Brown, the task now is to translate the team's recent championship success into another competitive campaign.

McLaren's ambitions are particularly relevant as Formula 1 prepares for its next phase of technical changes and competition. The team will need to continue developing its car and maintaining its performance against rivals that have been closing the gap.

Brown did not offer specific details about the team's 2027 technical plans, but made clear that three wins were not enough to satisfy its expectations. "It's a small-margin business that we're in. Every second counts. Same thing with the airline industry," he said, drawing a comparison with Etihad's focus on operational performance.

The UAE capital remains an important part of McLaren's wider story, both commercially and on the racing calendar. Brown said the team's relationship with Abu Dhabi and Bahrain was significant, pointing to the region's role in bringing Formula 1 to the Middle East and supporting its expansion.

Bahrain typically hosts the opening race of the season, while Abu Dhabi stages the finale, giving the region a prominent position at both ends of the calendar.

"We're owned by Abu Dhabi and Bahrain," Brown said. "Bahrain was the first race in this region, so they really are responsible for Formula One coming here. Now we have four awesome races."

He described the arrangement as a fitting way to begin and end the season with partners that have made a substantial commitment to the sport.

"The commitment that they've made to McLaren Racing gives us the resources, the commitment we need to go win. I couldn't think of two better bosses," he said.

The relationship with Etihad is also intended to deliver practical benefits to the racing team as it travels between 24 races around the world. Brown said the airline serves several important destinations for McLaren, including Abu Dhabi, Singapore, Melbourne and London.

For a team whose personnel spend much of the year travelling, the quality of those journeys can have an impact on performance.

"Getting the best out of our racing team means you need to be well rested, travel well. They're all about a great customer experience," he said.

He added that Etihad's global customer base could also help McLaren reach new audiences and strengthen engagement with existing fans. "They have tens of millions of customers over the years, so I think they'll help enhance the experience of our current fans and bring us some new fans," Brown said.

The new Dreamliner is perhaps the most visible part of that arrangement. Its papaya-orange livery will take McLaren's identity to destinations across Etihad's international network, giving the racing team exposure beyond the usual Grand Prix circuit.

Brown said he was particularly excited to see the aircraft in service. "When they said they wanted to do it, I was like, 'What do you think?' I was like, 'Sounds amazing.' I think everyone will want to fly on the McLaren plane," he said.

The partnership comes ahead of the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in December, which will once again bring the season to a close at Yas Marina Circuit.

For McLaren, the UAE capital has become a significant location for championship celebrations. The team clinched the 2024 Constructors' Championship in Abu Dhabi, while Norris secured the 2025 Drivers' Championship at the same venue.

Brown said he was hoping for another strong result in the UAE capital. "We've won Abu Dhabi in '24, clinched the championship last year, drivers' championship. So this is a very special race for us too," he said.

Brown described the UAE as a welcoming destination, both for racing and personal travel, and said he enjoyed visiting with his family.

For now, however, the priority remains the track. With the 2026 campaign nearing its end, Brown's message is that McLaren's recent success is not enough to guarantee its place at the front next year. "We have some work to do to get back to the top of the mountain," he said.