Zak Brown has just proven he’s McLaren’s best off-track asset as £236m earnings increase revealed

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Zak Brown has done a phenomenal job turning around McLaren’s operations over the last decade or so.

A team once lacking direction and lost under the leadership of Ron Dennis have successfully completed a terrific turnaround after claiming a Formula 1 title double in 2025.

Brown isn’t done yet, though. McLaren are now positioned to enjoy some long-term success, but there are no guarantees heading into the 2026 F1 regulations.

Supposedly, they have one of the better driver line-ups on the grid, and they also have the reliable and speedy Mercedes engine. It’s hard to see them not competing at the top for a while.

Where do you think Lando Norris will rank among McLaren’s greatest drivers when he retires?

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Oscar Piastri would be at the back if it weren’t for McLaren, after making the bold call to switch allegiances from Alpine back in 2022.

David Coulthard’s pre-season McLaren prediction was spot on as they wound up having their best year since 1998. This winter, there’s plenty of cause for celebration at Woking.

READ MORE: Timo Glock tells McLaren to be prepared for one F1 rival to be a ‘step ahead’ in 2026

Zak Brown is McLaren’s top off-track asset after £236 million increase in sponsorship since 2017

Brown had to remove McLaren’s ‘arrogance’ when he joined the team back in 2016, knowing that he had a steep mountain to climb.

Back then, the team were in a bit of a dismal period, with the woeful Honda engine in the back of their car and no sponsors.

In a time when the championship operated without a budget cap, that was critical. The team would struggle to survive with no backers.

According to the Italian edition of Motorsport.com, the Papaya outfit are now £236 million per year better off in sponsorship income than they were when Brown first joined them.

His first full-time season with them in 2017 saw them rake in just over £26 million, while 2025 saw them generate £262 million. It means they can maximise their budget cap and even turn a profit.

For a team that nearly dropped off the grid during Covid-19, that’s an incredible turnaround and proves that the right man was hired for the job. Could anyone else achieve what Brown has? I’d struggle to say so.

READ MORE: Oscar Piastri was upset by McLaren’s internal reaction to one of his 2025 crashes

How McLaren have picked the best men to lead their Formula 1 team

Not only is Brown a phenomenally experienced commercial asset for McLaren to have, but they also have a great leader alongside him.

Michael Schumacher leaned on Andrea Stella during his Ferrari glory days, and the Italian has plenty of experience at the highest level.

He actually rejected his current job (team principal) a few years before taking it, opting to gain a better understanding of all areas within his team first.

Looking back, that was a clever move. As an engineer, he knows how to organise and put a structure in place for his engineering division to be successful, and it’s a big benefit for McLaren to have.