McLaren CEO Zak Brown has had the pleasure of working with some incredible Formula 1 drivers throughout his career.
Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri are the two latest stars to race for McLaren and delivered the team’s first constructors’ championship last year.
Zak Brown and Andrea Stella have been praised for their incredibly positive impact on the team since taking over, with McLaren struggling in the midfield until the middle of the 2023 season.
The 2025 campaign offers McLaren the perfect chance to retain their championship and also provide one of their drivers with the chance to win their first individual title in Formula 1.
However, McLaren have also helped many drivers win championships in the past and worked alongside some of the greatest racers in the sport’s history.
The upcoming F1 75 event has seen many of these stars come together and Brown posted on Instagram after spending time with four of his ‘all-time favourite’ drivers.
While he may not have included his current drivers in his list, it’s easy to see why when you hear the calibre of the ‘legends’ he’s selected.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown names his five ‘all-time favourite’ Formula 1 drivers including Ayrton Senna
Posting on social media alongside some of his heroes, Brown said: “I’m often asked if I ever take a moment to reflect on how fortunate I am to be CEO of McLaren.
“The reality is, I rarely do as I’m always fully focused on the present, helping our team push for success.
“But tonight, celebrating 75 years of F1, I had dinner at Lucky Cat by Gordon Ramsay with the biggest legends of our sport – four of my five all-time favourite drivers: Emerson Fittipaldi, Mika Hakkinen, Mario Andretti, and Nigel Mansell.
“Only Ayrton was missing. I truly wish I’d had the chance to meet him back in the day, but tonight provided a priceless moment that reminds me why I love this sport so much.”
READ MORE: Zak Brown now believes McLaren face a ‘good problem’ in 2025 after title-winning season
The drivers Brown named have won nine championships between them, with Ayrton Senna being the most successful with three to his name.
Norris has previously been compared to Senna but has a long way to go before he matches his success or ability.
McLaren hoping to add eighth champion to their list in 2025 with Lando Norris or Oscar Piastri
Although the five drivers Brown named are all Formula 1 champions, Nigel Mansell (Williams) and Mario Andretti (Lotus) won their titles with other teams.
Emerson Fittipaldi’s 1972 title was also won with Lotus, meaning only Mika Hakkinen and Senna won all of their championships with the Woking-based team.
| Drivers | Championships |
| Emerson Fittipaldi | 1 (1974) |
| James Hunt | 1 (1976) |
| Niki Lauda | 1 (1984) |
| Alain Prost | 3 (1985, 1986, 1989) |
| Ayrton Senna | 3 (1988, 1990, 1991) |
| Mika Hakkinen | 2 (1998, 1999) |
| Lewis Hamilton | 1 (2008) |
Only Williams and Ferrari have been more successful in F1 than McLaren, but they’ve put themselves in a strong position to add another name to their honours board.
READ MORE: Zak Brown makes Lewis Hamilton comparison with Lando Norris on how he raced ‘brutal’ Max Verstappen
Norris has admitted that he’s not thought about winning the 2025 championship yet, but it won’t be long until he does if his McLaren is quick in Australia.
On the other side of the garage, Piastri is willing to put himself forward as a championship contender after two seasons of rapidly improving alongside his more experienced teammate.
Brown may soon add Norris or Piastri to his list of favourite drivers, but they’ll both know what they need to achieve to reach that level.
