Would the CEO of McLaren prefer Sainz or Hamilton?
"I have his contact number saved in my address book."
McLaren's CEO Zak Brown mentions that it would have been difficult for him to choose between Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz if there were an opening at the team based in Woking. Sainz was with McLaren when Ferrari enticed him to sign for 2021. He excelled at Ferrari but has since been moved down the roster in 2025 as the team opted to replace him with seven-time world champion Hamilton.
"If we had a vacant position, we would definitely consider Carlos again," Brown stated to Marca while he was at the Laureus awards in Madrid. "At the moment, however, we have Lando (Norris) and Oscar (Piastri) contracted for several years. But if circumstances change and Carlos becomes available, I have his number in my address book."
Currently, at Ferrari, Hamilton is noticeably having difficulties keeping pace with Charles Leclerc, something Sainz rarely encountered. Therefore, when asked if he would push Sainz out to sign a renowned and successful driver like 40-year-old Hamilton, Brown was cautious in his response.
"It's not that straightforward," the American said. "There are many dynamics influencing the situation. Lewis is a seven-time champion, and such opportunities to have an athlete of his caliber on your team are rare. However, Carlos was fantastic with us—he's a good friend and an excellent driver. Thankfully, I wasn't in a position to make that call."
Brown is, however, quite certain when it comes to the possibility of re-signing another former McLaren driver, Fernando Alonso, as McLaren prepares for its new World Endurance Championship and Le Mans venture for 2027.
"Fernando is one of the best," he remarked. "I know this because he worked with us! He’s an outstanding athlete, and even though his F1 career will soon come to an end, we’ve already announced our return to Le Mans—a race he has already won—and I would love to see him back at McLaren."
Brown also expressed his enthusiasm about getting the first on-track confrontation between teammates and title contenders Piastri and Norris over with. "I don’t think it will be as thrilling as everyone anticipates, and I believe it will simply turn into a racing incident," he noted. "It's unavoidable, but neither of them is the type to lose their temper, so we’re not worried. To some extent, we’re looking forward to resolving this situation."
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Would the CEO of McLaren prefer Sainz or Hamilton?
Formula 1 | McLaren's CEO Zak Brown stated that it would have been a difficult decision for him to select between Lewis Hamilton and Carlos Sainz if there had been an opening at the Woking-based team.