McLaren is currently having one of the most dominant seasons in recent history as both of their drivers battle it out for the Championship, but just a few years ago, the team were in a much different place. Enter: Zak Brown, McLaren F1 Team’s CEO, who has taken the team from misery to title wins.
In the lead-up to the Dutch Grand Prix at Zandvoort this weekend, McLaren announced Mastercard as their 2026 title sponsor, yet another major partnership for the Woking-based team, and next year, they will race as McLaren Mastercard Formula 1 Team. The blockbuster deal, which promises fans ‘unparalleled access’ to the action, didn’t even look possible a few years ago, so how did Zak Brown turn things around?
Zak Brown’s arrival brought hope to McLaren
The 2013 season was the team’s last with title sponsor Vodafone, having been partnered since 2007. The end of this deal was the beginning of the decline for the team, as they suffered from financial instability and lacked any major sponsorship deals.
McLaren tried to turn things around, partnering with Honda as an engine supplier between 2015 and 2017; however, this quickly fell flat as the Honda engine proved to be unreliable and lacked power, famously branded a “GP2 engine” by a frustrated Fernando Alonso. In 2016, the team faced another low as titan of industry Ron Dennis stepped down from his role as CEO, having run the team since the 1980s, and McLaren urgently needed to find a replacement.
You never choose your moment, but when it happens, you know you belong 🧡
Some things just belong together…. #McLarenMastercard #McLaren | @Mastercard pic.twitter.com/Zby1ZUVZZ5
— McLaren (@McLarenF1) August 27, 2025
In 2016, Zak Brown was appointed Executive Director. He joined the team as a marketing expert, already having experience in the motorsport industry, and realised that the issues at the heart of the team were not just performance-based; they were also financial. He quickly began rebuilding the team’s sponsorship portfolio, including early deals with Dell Technologies, Chandon and Coca-Cola, with these deals improving visibility and restoring relevance.
Brown needed to establish a strong team trackside
In 2019, Brown brought in Andreas Seidl as Team Principal and James Key as Technical Director, giving the team a new lease of life with modern leadership. Lando Norris made his F1 debut that season, partnering an established Carlos Sainz, and the team finished 4th in the Constructors’ Championship.
Andrea Stella Reveals McLaren’s Major Advantage Heading Into F1’s New Regulations in 2026
After bringing in another wave of major sponsors in 2020 – from the Saudi Public Investment Fund, to MSP Sports Capital – the team secured their first win in nearly a decade in 2021 with Daniel Ricciardo in Monza. 2022 brought fresh struggles for the team as they struggled with regulation changes, but Brown reacted quickly, restructuring the technical department led by Andrea Stella.
The sky is the limit for McLaren
2023 saw the biggest turnaround so far, with sponsors flooding in, the addition of Oscar Piastri, and striking consistency from Norris. This set McLaren up perfectly to challenge Red Bull in 2024, and they won the Constructors’ Championship as Norris secured second place in the Drivers’ Championship.
👀| Will we see any new additions to this exclusive club in the second half of the 2025 season?
If so, which drivers would you like to see reach the podium?#F1 #DutchGP https://t.co/WF09sjhrHr
— Fastest Pitstop (@FastestPitStop) August 26, 2025
McLaren is currently thriving, partnered with major global brands such as Google and Monster Energy, and they are set to claim back-to-back victories in the Constructors’ Championship. Brown’s long-term focus on commercial security and driver stability is clearly paying off, and the Mastercard partnership is yet another sign of that.
