McLaren CEO shares the timeline for the team's resurgence to the front of the F1 grid

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has claimed the team is looking to win races by 2025 and hopes to fight for the title the following year when the regulations change once again. Brown and Co. are working tirelessly to improve upon their current form and return to winning ways.

However, as it stands, the team is nowhere close to winning a race in 2023, having established itself as a backmarker so far this year. Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have struggled with the car this year and haven't been able to score regular points. As a result, the team's goal for the current year has now shifted from finishing fourth to securing a fifth place finish.

Brown believes the team can return to its 2021 form by next year, scoring regular podiums. By 2025, the team hopes to win races regularly and eventually challenge for the title in 2026 when the regulations change.

Speaking on the F1 Nation podcast, the McLaren boss said:

"Our goal next year is to get back to a 2021-type season - a handful of podiums, a pole, a win. And then 2025, we would have had everything that we need and the sufficient time. I'd like to think that we will be winning races in 2025 and we've got the new era starting in 2026. On paper, there's no reason why we shouldn't be fighting for the championship."

Former F1 Champion Mario Andretti puzzled by McLaren's poor form

Mario Andretti recently admitted that McLaren's unexpected downfall this season has perplexed him. The team from Woking has had a below-par start compared to its usual standards, exacerbated by the impressive advancements made by its rivals.

Aston Martin, who trailed far behind the British team in 2022, has now emerged as a leading contender. Alpine, a team that fiercely contested fourth place with McLaren in the championship last season, has also made significant strides forward.

McLaren are currently fifth in the constructors' standings, 64 points behind fourth-placed Ferrari.

McLaren suffered a disastrous race in Miami, as both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri struggled on different tire compounds. When asked about the reasons behind McLaren's struggles this season, Andretti honestly acknowledged his lack of understanding regarding the team's current predicament.

Andretti told PlanetF1:

"I wish I knew, because then I would bottle it and sell it to them! It’s hard to be able to evaluate anything like that. Especially in Miami, I don’t know what in the world happened to them. It seemed like, in first practice while the track was still green and very slippery, they seemed to be somewhat on pace with the rest."

With Zak Brown expecting better results in the upcoming Monaco GP, it will be interesting to see how Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri perform this weekend. As it stands, the Woking-based team is currently on the back foot in 2023.