McLaren boss shares emotional message after spending an evening with 4 F1 world champions

F1 has crowned 34 different drivers as world champions and a hoard of them have raced for McLaren over the years. On February 17, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown dined with some of the champions that have reigned over the series over the past few decades.

Brown is a racer at heart. The American businessman used to race in junior categories and soon transcended into the world of managing teams. In 2016, he joined McLaren and later became the CEO of the racing division.

The 53-year-old met up with F1 champions Emerson Fittipaldi, Mika Hakkinen, Mario Andretti, and Nigel Mansell, and shared his experience via X:

"I’m often asked if I ever take a moment to reflect on how fortunate I am to be CEO of McLaren. The reality is, I rarely do as I’m always fully focused on the present, helping our team push for success. But tonight, celebrating 75 years of @F1, I had dinner at @GordonRamsay and the biggest legends of our sport - four of my five all-time favourite drivers: @emmofittipaldi, @F1MikaHakkinen, @MarioAndretti, and @nigelmansell.

Only Ayrton [Senna] was missing. I truly wish I’d had the chance to meet him back in the day, but tonight provided a priceless moment that reminds me why I love this sport so much."

Since Brown took over McLaren, the team has gone from being a backmarker to returning to championship glory last year.

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Zak Brown asserts McLaren should remain "realistic" in 2025

With the Woking-based team returning to winning ways, experts reckon the English team as the favorite for the 2025 championship. Moreover, it has conducted its shakedown run around the Silverstone Circuit and became the first team to do so.

Subsequently, sharing his thoughts on the upcoming season, Zak Brown said:

"We must be realistic that every team will have made progress over the winter. Last year highlighted just how much the grid has closed up, which is a brilliant thing for the sport. We believe we have made further steps forward since the Championship-winning MCL38 but we won’t know where we sit in the standings until we get into Qualifying in Australia.

We’re a team that never stops racing and we’ll be giving it our all to bring both Championships back to Woking."

The 2025 F1 season will start at the fabled Australian Grand Prix in Melbourne on March 16. The reigning constructors' champion last won at the street track in 2012 and has since only scored two more podiums in 2014 and 2024.