Zak Brown found himself with a difficult scheduling conflict, unable to be in two places simultaneously as the McLaren Racing CEO navigated competing priorities across motorsport disciplines.
Brown sat down with Will Buxton for an interview with SPEED this week, discussing his decision to attend IndyCar’s inaugural Washington D.C. race rather than the Formula 1 Dutch Grand Prix, where McLaren secured both pole position and the victory with Lando Norris.
“I would love to attend both events, but that hasn’t proven possible,” Brown explained. “So I rely on my laptop to stay connected to what’s happening in Holland. My responsibility is to be present where I can have the greatest influence on our racing programs, where commercial activity is most significant, and where we see the strongest growth potential for our various racing series and teams.
“This event is truly remarkable. I’ve never experienced anything quite like it, which made my attendance essential. The reality is—between us—our three racing teams operate perfectly well without my presence at every race weekend.
“I witnessed Lando secure pole position in Holland, though that interview took place before race day, so taking credit for that achievement would be a stretch. I’ve told my IndyCar team that someone needs to capture a pole here so I can claim some recognition for it.”
Commercial Significance
Pato O’Ward, Arrow McLaren
Photo by: Penske Entertainment
Brown also emphasized the substantial commercial impact of the IndyCar event, which attracted numerous prominent business leaders—including the President of the United States. FOX subsequently reported that the Freedom 250 Grand Prix became the most-watched non-Indy 500 IndyCar race since 1995, drawing an average of more than 3.2 million viewers.
“Ultimately, that’s precisely why I’m here,” Brown stated. “We have excellent partners in Holland, but this represents new territory, bringing many first-time partners and prospective clients to the table. The attention this event has brought to IndyCar and the NTT IndyCar Series has been tremendous, making this an easy decision.
While Norris went on to claim victory from pole position at the Dutch Grand Prix, Arrow McLaren narrowly missed securing an IndyCar win in Washington D.C., with Christian Lundgaard finishing second behind race winner Kyle Kirkwood. Lundgaard’s McLaren teammates Nolan Siegel and Pato O’Ward concluded the race in sixth and 16th positions, respectively.
Brown later lauded the event as a significant success.
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