How Zak Brown Almost Joined F1 Instead of Saving McLaren

Zak Brown almost took a job with Formula 1's commercial arm in 2016 before a surprise opportunity at McLaren—then in disarray—pulled him in a different direction. In a new interview with The Race Business, he reveals how that decision reshaped both his career and the trajectory of one of F1's most iconic teams.

Why it matters:

Brown's choice to lead McLaren instead of joining Liberty Media set in motion the team's revival from a mid-2010s nadir to constructors' champions. Without him, the McLaren we know today—and possibly the structure of F1's commercial operations—would look very different.

The details:

• Brown was approached in late 2016 by Liberty Media's Chase Carey, whom he knew from DirecTV. He expected to join F1 as commercial chief.
• McLaren's then-boss Ron Dennis initially offered a less exciting role. But after Dennis fell out with shareholders and left, McLaren presented a more compelling proposition.
• "When the lights go out, I want to go racing," Brown says, contrasting the hands-on racing environment with F1's corporate track.
• Brown transformed McLaren: revived the papaya brand, rebuilt sponsor relationships, and gradually hired the right talent—including team principal Andrea Stella.
• Without Brown, McLaren's exit from its slump—and eventual return to title contention—would have been far less certain.

Looking back:

Brown's alternate path is a reminder of how one decision can ripple through an entire sport. For McLaren, it turned a 'mess' into championship material. For F1, it lost a marketing powerhouse—but gained a long-term adversary and partner.