Zak Brown Responds To Major McLaren Title Question Mark: "Forget It"

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has insisted he would rather both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri miss out on the Formula 1 drivers' title with equal opportunity to win than show bias towards either one.

The duo are first and second in the race for the championship after 20 races, having largely dominated the season between each other - Piastri racing out to a 34-point lead after 14 races with seven wins to his name, only for Norris to rally.

The Briton put on a masterclass at the Mexico City Grand Prix weekend and eventually clinched victory by the biggest margin of the season, putting half a minute on the rest of the field while Piastri could manage only fifth, unable to get past Haas' Oliver Bearman.

Lando Norris, McLaren, Mexico City 2025 — McLaren Racing

That result means that Norris takes a one-point advantage into this weekend's Sao Paulo Grand Prix, the first time he has led since the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.

But Red Bull's Max Verstappen has dragged himself back into contention despite being 104 points adrift at one stage as he aims for a fifth world title, presenting McLaren with what could be perceived as a dilemma. If Verstappen continues to close in before the final race of the season, should McLaren side with one driver to secure the title in-house?

It is a similar scenario to the climax of the 2007 season, where McLaren's then driver line-up of Lewis Hamilton and Fernando Alonso headed Ferrari's Kimi Raikkonen leading into the Interlagos decider.

Both drivers were treated equally and ultimately lost out on the title, both a point adrift of the Finnish driver when the checkered flag fell.

Getting fired 🆙#McLaren | #BrazilGP 🇧🇷 pic.twitter.com/DptsthUCsE
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) November 6, 2025

"We're well aware of 2007," insisted Brown on the Beyond the Grid podcast.

"Two drivers tied on points, one gets in the front. But we've got two drivers who want to win the world championship. We're playing offense; we're not playing defense.

"I'd rather go - 'we did the best we could with our drivers tied in points, and the other beat us by one,' than the alternative - telling one of our drivers right now, when they're one point apart, 'I know you have a dream to win the world championship, but we flipped a coin and you don't get to do it this year.'

"Forget it. That's not how we go racing. If 2007 happens again, I'd rather have that outcome than any other that involves playing favourites - we won't do it."

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