Zak Brown sends message to critics as Norris becomes World Champion

Max Verstappen won the battle that was the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, but it was Lando Norris who emerged as World Champion.

Norris secured a P3 finish at the title decider, enough to see him crowned World Champion by two points from Verstappen. McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown believes his team proved its critics wrong by securing the title double. Norris’ title win felt particularly special as it was won against a talent like Verstappen, said Brown.

Zak Brown hails McLaren as Lando Norris wins title

Verstappen cranked the pressure right up with five wins since the summer break, as part of a streak with saw him never fail to make the podium. Verstappen saw that through to the end with an eighth overall victory of the season in Abu Dhabi, but Norris did what he needed to do. He is World Champion for the first time in his career.

“Unbelievably proud of the team,” Brown told Sky F1. “Unbelievably proud of our two drivers. We let them race to the end.

“Everyone said, not everyone, most people, thought that was going to be impossible to pull off, and it’s just a dream, racing with these two guys. Oscar and Lando have been awesome all year.

“It’s not been easy. This Max guy is pretty hard to beat, so it’s quite an accomplishment.

“It’s so well deserved from everyone. So can’t wait to get back to the factory and celebrate with the entire team, because, you know, we’ve got a great group here, but we’ve got a lot of men and women back at McLaren.”

As Brown alluded to, McLaren has stuck to its principles of creating the most level playing field possible for Norris and Piastri in the title battle. It has seen moments where this tactic was questioned, Monza quickly coming to mind, but ultimately, it has taken the team to the title double.

Brown was asked if he considers this a triumph for how McLaren goes racing.

“I think it is,” he confirmed. “To us, it’s the right way to go racing. We have two awesome racing drivers.

“Just very proud of how everyone conducted themselves, the teamwork, the highs and lows and how we dealt with the lows, because as many highs as we had, we had some terrifying moments here at the end.

“The teamwork, and everyone at McLaren, it’s such an awesome job, and great pit-stops today. Great strategy.”

More as Lando Norris crowned champion, McLaren double champs

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Norris did not have it easy in Abu Dhabi. Charles Leclerc served as a race-long thorn in his side, on the hunt for a podium result. Had he succeeded, it would have sent the title Verstappen’s way.

Norris also had to complete an off-track overtake versus Verstappen’s Red Bull teammate for one final race Yuki Tsunoda. That netted Tsunoda a five-second penalty.

“Traffic, took a while to get Charles out of our DRS. The move Yuki pulled, maybe a little too… A lot at stake,” Brown reflected.

“But, great racing Laurent [Mekies, Red Bull team principal] and Max, because, if you beat Red Bull and Max, you’ve done a great job.”

Read next – Abu Dhabi GP: Norris crowned champion after FIA scare as Verstappen falls short

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