BREAKING: McLaren boss Brown announces exit as Red Bull handed… read more
McLaren boss Brown announces exit as Red Bull handed boost – F1 Recap
McLaren Racing has officially announced its decision to withdraw from the Formula E championship, with CEO Zak Brown revealing the move through a formal statement. The decision marks a major shift for the Woking-based team, who currently sit atop the Formula 1 constructors’ standings after reclaiming the title in 2024.
While McLaren has enjoyed success across multiple motorsport categories — including Formula 1, IndyCar, and Formula E — the team’s future focus is set to expand further. In a significant development, McLaren will enter the World Endurance Championship (WEC) starting in 2027. This bold move is part of Brown’s broader ambition to achieve an extraordinary feat: winning the Le Mans 24 Hours, the Indianapolis 500, and the Monaco Grand Prix in the same year. McLaren is already the only constructor in motorsport history to have won all three events individually.
To make room for this new chapter, McLaren has decided to pull out of the all-electric Formula E series. A search is now underway to find a new owner for the NEOM McLaren Formula E Team, ensuring its place on the grid is secured moving forward.
McLaren joined Formula E in 2022 and has enjoyed a respectable stint in the championship. During their time in the series, the team celebrated one E-Prix victory and claimed six podium finishes. Rising star Taylor Barnard has been a standout performer this season, sitting fourth in the drivers’ standings for the 2024-25 campaign, while the team currently holds third place in the teams’ standings after a strong opening to the season.
Despite the promising results, Brown emphasized that the decision to exit was purely strategic. “We are immensely proud of what we have achieved in Formula E, and the series plays an integral role in the motorsport world,” Brown said in an official statement. “However, the time is right to explore other opportunities that align more closely with McLaren Racing’s overall strategic direction — notably, our 2027 entry into the FIA World Endurance Championship.”
Brown added that McLaren’s immediate focus is to ensure the Formula E outfit remains competitive through the end of the season and to secure its future by finding a capable new owner. “The team has started the year strongly, and we intend to finish on a high,” he stated. “I’d like to sincerely thank the team, Formula E, our partners, and our fans for their continued support.”
Can McLaren Make Motorsport History Again?
With the WEC entry now confirmed, McLaren’s ambitions of winning the triple crown within a single season are gathering pace. While the team has historically secured victories at Le Mans, Monaco, and Indianapolis separately, doing so in a single season would require an incredible alignment of elite engineering, flawless execution, and top-tier driver talent across three different disciplines.
Yet Brown remains confident. Reflecting on McLaren’s legendary history, he said, “Thirty years ago, we won Le Mans on our debut with a car that wasn’t even intended to race. That cemented our place as the only team to win the triple crown. Now, we want to take it a step further and win all three in the same year.”
With Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris leading their Formula 1 efforts and Pato O’Ward continuing to shine in IndyCar — already racking up seven wins by the age of 25 — McLaren certainly has the driver roster to attempt such an ambitious goal.
While McLaren’s Formula E departure will be a blow to the electric series, their pursuit of new triumphs signals a thrilling new era for the historic team.
