As the 2025 Formula 1 season moves into its high summer swing, McLaren finds itself in a rare and enviable position, not only does the team boast the fastest car on the grid, but it also enjoys harmony between two star drivers. Zak Brown, the team’s CEO, is convinced that both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri can fight for the championship without letting their rivalry spill into the garage.
Heading into the 2025 British Grand Prix at Silverstone, McLaren sits on a comfortable cushion in the constructors’ championship, while Norris and Piastri lead a driver line-up envied across the paddock. Yet with so much at stake, Brown is adamant the rules of engagement remain simple, and unchanged.
“It’s the same rules,” Brown told the media, including Total-Motorsport.com, at Silverstone. “Race each other hard, race each other clean, and try and get as many points on the board for the team. Then it’s up to them to decide who is in front of who.”
Pressure Mounts as McLaren Sets the Pace
Tension is inevitable in any intra-team rivalry, and this season has already seen moments that could have fractured a lesser partnership. At the Canadian Grand Prix, Norris clipped Piastri’s car, costing McLaren a podium. In Austria, both drivers were allowed to go wheel-to-wheel for the win, with Piastri receiving a warning after nearly taking his teammate out with a late move.
Despite those close calls, Brown insists McLaren’s “Papaya Rules” which allow drivers to race unless it’s detrimental to the team, are working as intended. “It was very exciting. It was a great race. They raced each other very hard, very clean. I think that’s what everyone was looking forward to seeing—finally, that epic battle,” Brown said.
Where Formula 1 history is filled with stories of partnerships that fell apart—think Prost and Senna at McLaren or Hamilton and Rosberg at Mercedes, Brown is adamant his drivers are cut from a different cloth.
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“I think the relationship they have is fantastic. We’ve put a lot of time and effort into building our team and having a chemistry within the team, and that starts with the drivers,” Brown explained.
“I think you saw how they handled Canada, how they’ve conducted themselves, and I see no reason why they can’t have a big battle all the way to the end. May the best man win, and I’m sure they’ll shake hands and congratulate each other.”
The World Watches as McLaren Embraces the Pressure
Norris and Piastri have delivered consistently on track, helping McLaren rack up a dominant lead in the standings. Norris topped Free Practice 2 at Silverstone, fueling British hopes, while Brown remains steadfast in his support for his driver pairing.
“Our drivers aren’t going anywhere. They’re very happy, we’re very happy, so there’s no need to look at any other drivers on the grid,” Brown said, after Red Bull boss Christian Horner jokingly insisted he would target Piastri as a replacement for Max Verstappen.
Horner, meanwhile, faced questions over Max Verstappen’s future, even joking that if he needed a replacement he would take Piastri—prompting a rare smile from Brown.
While the rest of the grid navigates uncertainty—Red Bull and Mercedes chief among them—McLaren looks settled and hungry. The challenge now is whether Norris and Piastri can keep their bond strong as the pressure mounts, with both men dreaming of championship glory.
As the season unfolds, the dynamic inside McLaren’s garage could become one of the defining stories of 2025. For now, Brown has handed his drivers the keys and set them free—confident that the spirit of teamwork will prove as strong as their speed.
