McLaren's CEO, Zak Brown, expressed relief that his team is not caught up in the current frenzy of 'silly season' speculation.
Despite occasional remarks from Red Bull's Dr Helmut Marko showing interest in McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, both drivers remain securely contracted with McLaren. Consequently, while teams like Mercedes, Red Bull, and Aston Martin, along with numerous drivers, are embroiled in rampant speculation, McLaren is quietly focusing on its ambitious goals to rival Red Bull.
"The start of the season has been much better than the start of last year," Australian driver Piastri stated to the Xinhua news agency, adding, "I think we're optimistic that we can show the same development as last year."
Mercedes' Toto Wolff has expressed doubts about catching Red Bull before the major chassis and engine regulation changes set for 2026. Nevertheless, Piastri remains hopeful, saying, "I think wins before that are achievable. Red Bull are obviously a step ahead of everything, but I think we're getting closer."
Brown attributes McLaren's smooth progression to their avoidance of the disruptive 'silly season' rumors. "I'm trying to create stability, visibility and sustainability across all of our racing teams," he commented.
Despite the departure of high-profile Ferrari hire David Sanchez after just three months, Brown remains optimistic about McLaren's situation: "We are in a great position. We know who our drivers are, we know our team boss, we have great sponsors. Everything is going to plan. I think at a time when some teams are disrupted, not sure who's going to drive where, the upcoming rule changes and the like, we're in a pretty strong position looking to the future. We just want to focus on our work and continue what we are doing right now," he further elaborated.
