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McLaren CEO Zak Brown has offered strong support to Oscar Piastri after the Australian narrowly missed out on the world title. Piastri finished the season with a mixture of pride and frustration, admitting that the defeat was difficult to process. Brown stepped in to publicly praise his driver, calling him “a future world champion” and emphasising that the entire team is proud of the level he reached this year.
Piastri remained in contention until the final race, delivering some of the most consistent and mature drives of his young career. Although Lando Norris claimed the championship, Brown insisted that Piastri’s performance under pressure proved he belongs at the very top of Formula 1.
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Speaking to Sky Sports, Brown said Piastri should hold his head high. “Oscar has shown he is one of the best drivers out there. The disappointment is understandable, but he had a phenomenal season.”
Brown also pointed out that the 23-year-old made major progress compared to last year. “His racecraft, his tyre management, his consistency, everything improved. He handled the pressure brilliantly.”
He added that Piastri’s calm reaction after missing the title was a sign of maturity. “He is hungry, but he is also realistic. That combination will take him far.”
McLaren Proud of a Historic Season
Brown emphasised that McLaren view 2024 as one of their most successful seasons in decades. “We won the drivers’ championship with Lando and pushed for the constructors’ title. Oscar played a huge part in that.”
He said the team always believed they had two champions in their line-up. “Both drivers raised the level of the team. Oscar pushed Lando, and Lando pushed Oscar. That is exactly what you want.”
Even though Piastri finished second, Brown argued that the gap between him and Norris was much smaller than the points suggest. “They pushed each other all the way. Oscar was often right behind him, sometimes ahead of him. It was incredibly close.”
Brown: “This Is Only the Beginning”
Looking ahead, Brown said the season has only strengthened McLaren’s belief in Piastri’s long-term potential. “We always knew Oscar would be a future world champion. This year confirmed it. He has everything he needs.”
He added that McLaren are determined to give both drivers a title-winning platform again next season. “We want to repeat this level. The team is motivated, and Oscar is more determined than ever.”
Brown encouraged Piastri to use the disappointment as fuel. “Drivers grow from these moments. Oscar will come back stronger because that is the kind of driver he is.”
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