F1 News: McLaren CEO Reveals Major Concern For 2024 - "Never Before Have Five Different Teams Scored Seven Podiums”

McLaren is wary that its efforts for 2024 may not be enough to overtake the top three.

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has revealed that in 2024, the team is applying full throttle to come up with a car that can beat the top three teams next year, which include Red Bull, Mercedes, and Ferrari. Nevertheless, considering how other teams on the grid have been narrowing the gap to the leading Milton Keynes squad, he worries if their efforts will be sufficient to surpass their top rivals.

McLaren rose to glory in the second half of the 2023 season after introducing upgrades that catapulted the MCL60 close to Red Bull's RB19. Despite being unable to overtake leader Max Verstappen, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri often put up a commendable fight against the top players of the Formula 1 grid. 

The rise of the Papaya team from the ashes has pushed it closer to developing a better car for 2024 and even allowed it to set a higher benchmark for the next season. However, as the team works overnight in the winter break to launch a potent title contender, Brown is concerned that the efforts may not be sufficient to propel its car ahead of the pack, especially if you consider the efforts other teams have been putting into their cars. 

Speaking to the media, the McLaren CEO told PlanetF1:

“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.

“We face a formidable challenge next season in continuing to close the gap to the front.

“All teams are locked in a quest for car development and greater pace that is just as fierce off the track as it is on it, but our team will rise to the challenge with its usual determination and relentless dedication.

“Mercedes, Ferrari and Aston Martin didn’t make it easy for us, but we pushed at every race on each and every lap, resulting in a thrilling finish where the final positions in the FIA Formula 1 Constructors’ World Championship were only decided at the 23rd — and last round — of the season.

“Never before have five different teams scored seven podiums in the same season, which just goes to underscore the competitive nature of the grid this year.”