'It was a mess' - Zak Brown reveals how McLaren turned its F1 fortunes around

The first episode of *In conversation with*, brought to you by @TheRaceBusiness features a candid and insightful interview with McLaren F1 boss Zak Brown.

Brown begins by discussing McLaren's current, formidable success—double reigning Formula One World Champions, record revenue, and a multi-sport empire spanning IndyCar, WEC, and a new golf venture.

*Special thanks to @axios on this project*

The conversation delves into Brown's personal history, tracing his challenging start as a young American racer who came to the UK with virtually no money. He reflects on his journey from the "Wheel of Fortune" to the pinnacle of motorsport, emphasising the necessity of being a "grinder" to succeed, regardless of background. His career path soon shifted to the commercial side, driven by an obsession with understanding why companies sponsor things. He founded Just Marketing International (JMI) based on the simple but powerful philosophy that sponsorship is about helping a client grow their business, and the sponsor relationship is the outcome. He credits key mentors like John Hogan and Bernie Ecclestone for providing the credibility and access he lacked.

Brown reveals that he turned down the chance to run Formula 1 in 2016 in favour of the McLaren opportunity, explaining that he wanted to be "racing" when the lights went out. He admits the team was "a mess" when he arrived - disgruntled, politically fraught, and nearing record-low sponsorship - but he leveraged the great people and brand heritage to orchestrate a turnaround, starting with the iconic papaya livery.

The interview covers the team's darkest financial hours during COVID, where McLaren was "close" to going bust and Brown was "terrified". He recounts the drastic measures taken, including sale-leasebacks of the property and selling off assets, which have culminated in a phenomenal financial resurgence, seeing the team’s valuation skyrocket from £560 million to over $4 billion.

Looking ahead, Brown predicts franchise values in F1 will continue to grow, driven by digital sophistication, the "Netflix effect," and geographic expansion, particularly into the Asia-Pacific region. He also forecasts a future where eSports integration allows fans to race against Lando and Oscar in real-time. He closes with his best piece of advice: **Don't make the same mistake twice**, and embrace rejection and losing as necessary parts of the journey to success.