McLaren Racing’s CEO, Zak Brown, is the latest member of the fast-improving Formula 1 team to publicly bolster the constructor’s chances of applying more pressure to the “Big Three” F1 teams in 2024. In a letter to McLaren fans on 21 December, Brown pointed out the progress made by McLaren throughout 2023 and how 2024 would show more improvement.
Brown’s letter came after McLaren’s two drivers, 2023 debutant Oscar Piastri and the team’s #1 driver, Lando Norris, had recently faced the press to big up their team’s prospects in the new 2024 campaign.
Norris was the first McLaren member to go public with his belief that 2024 would be better for McLaren. In early December, he told Sky Sports F1 that he would win a Grand Prix for the constructor in the upcoming season before going on to explain why.
“100 per cent, because it’s going to be next year, and I’m with McLaren next year, I feel like we’re so close,” said Norris. “We have a lot more things in place, we’ve got a few new guys who are starting as well, coming from other teams.
“Now we’re in the strongest place we’ve been for probably the last 10 years, I feel like we’ve got more things to look forward to next year – we’ve finally got the wind tunnel properly going and so many things which [sic] are coming together more than ever. If there’s ever a time in my life, over the last five years, I want to be a bit more confident, it’s probably going into 2024.”
Norris’ confidence bodes well for followers and those backing the constructor through online sportsbooks. Those that accept Bitcoin for sports betting already have Norris listed as the 10/1 second-favourite behind reigning champion Max Verstappen (4/9) for the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on March 2nd.
A week before Christmas, Piastri joined his more experienced teammate in promoting McLaren Racing’s chances, and his own, as the F1 calendar moves into 2024.
“I think as a team we’ve tasted a lot more success in the second half of the year,” said the young Australian. “I think we’re fully expecting next year to go into the year fighting for more, or at least making [them] good weekends we’ve had this year every weekend. But I’m sure Mercedes and Ferrari have the same idea.
“So we will try our best, definitely try and start it a little better than we did this year. For myself, I feel like I’ve got much more experience under my belt. And, hopefully, I can use that for whatever position we find ourselves in. I think we will have hopefully more than one opportunity to fight for a win. That’s certainly what I hope.”
Oscar Piastri should stand on more podiums during 2024 if online bookmakers have any say. The 22-year-old Australian is a 20/1 shot for victory in Bahrain, meaning he has every chance of competing with the more established drivers on the grid. Lewis Hamilton (14/1), Charles Leclerc (14/1), Carlos Sainz (16/1) and George Russell (16/1) are only slightly more favoured.
Zak Brown has now added his views on his team’s chances going into the new season, confirming there would be more changes to the McLarens in 2024, a point Norris had hinted at following the 2023 season finale in Abu Dhabi.
“While it was a tough start for us in Formula 1, we stayed focused and remained calm under our new leadership team, headed by Andrea Stella, to develop our car, which took us from the back of the grid to fighting at the front,” added Norris. “The amazing thing is that, apart from a few changes at [the team’s] leadership level, it was the same people who started the season that enabled McLaren to finish 2023 strongly.
“And as we work around the clock on our 2024 challenger, we intend to build on this year’s progress and push our rivals even harder next year.”
As a constructor, McLaren Racing has made great strides in the past year, a fact recognised by Bitcoin-enabled sportsbooks. Of the three top constructors in 2023, only Red Bull (11/50) has better odds on offer for the Bahrain opener.
McLaren now joins Mercedes and Ferrari at 13/2, much improved on the odds that bookmakers offered on the team going into the first Grand Prix of last year. So, 2024 really looks promising for the Woking team led so well by Zak Brown.
