Zak Brown's £75m payout proves a bigger McLaren achievement than Lando Norris' F1 title

Since Zak Brown became CEO of McLaren in 2018, the team has transformed from struggling to world champions, winning the Constructors' Championship in 2024 and the Drivers' Championship in 2025 with Lando Norris. Brown's leadership has also led to a remarkable financial turnaround, with McLaren's valuation soaring to £3.5 billion by 2026.

Brown's personal earnings of £75.4 million in 2025 are noted as one of the largest pay packages for an F1 executive. Under his guidance, McLaren has focused on commercial growth, with projections indicating they could become the first Formula 1 team to generate $1 billion in revenue this year, despite trailing behind Mercedes and chasing Ferrari in the Constructors' Championship.