"Team papaya!!!": Anze Kopitar and wife Ines enjoy Australian GP cheering on Lando Norris and McLaren with kids Neza & Jakob

Los Angeles Kings captain Anze Kopitar is close friends with McLaren Racing’s CEO Zac Brown. On Saturday, the Kopitar family tuned it to the Australian Grand Prix to cheer on the McLaren team.

Kopitar’s wife Ines shared a series of stories on her Instagram from the family’s raceday watching experience.

One of the stories showed Ines taking a selfie with her daughter Neza on the couch. On the other side of the couch Anze Kopitar, wearing a McLaren papaya-orange T-shirt, gave a thumbs-up while sitting next to his son Jakob, who was also dressed in McLaren gear. The caption read:

“Team papaya!!!”

In the next story, Ines shared a selfie with Neza, who wore a black Lando Norris-themed T-shirt. She revealed that Neza is a fan of the McLaren ace.

“My little @lando fan ❤️,” Ines wrote in the caption.

via Instagram /@ines.kopitar

The last click was a close up of Anze and Jakob watching the race intently.

Lando Norris claimed victory at the rain-affected Australian Grand Prix which was his first win at Albert Park. The McLaren driver started from pole and managed to hold off Red Bull’s Max Verstappen despite a late safety car.

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Anze Kopitar and family spent skiing holidays with Zac Brown

Anze Kopitar and McLaren CEO Zac Brown struck up their friendship in an unexpected way. Their connection started when Kopitar watched an episode of Netflix’s “Drive to Survive” and saw a clip of Brown playing hockey. Curious, Kopitar reached out, inviting Brown to a Kings game if he was ever in Los Angeles.

Brown, who was a lifelong LA Kings fan who grew up following the team, responded quickly and the two hit it off.

“We stayed in touch and then he had an extra few days, so he came to visit us and go skiing [in Mammoth],” Kopitar said in an interview with Mayors Manor.

During the Kings’ 10-day break last season, Kopitar and his family even joined Brown for a skiing trip in Mammoth. They spent the weekend with their families and the McLaren boss was very happy to host them.

“He and his wife Ines, what a great family they have,” Brown said. “They came to Vegas and then we spent a wonderful weekend in the mountains, hanging out with the kids and had some friends over. We had tons and tons of laughs.”

Brown later secured glass seats to watch the Kings’ final game of the season, while Kopitar mentioned that he looks forward to attending a Formula 1 race.

Their families remain close and even last year when McLaren secured its first F1 Constructors’ Championship in 26 years, Kopitar’s wife Ines was among the first to congratulate Brown and McLaren Racing.