No more ‘Darth Vader’: McLaren has found its way back to the light
After years of navigating through Formula 1’s galactic battles as a team with a “dark and cold” image, McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes the Woking-based squad has finally shed its Darth Vader identity.
With a Constructors’ Championship title in 2024 - McLaren’s first since 1998 - Brown’s vision of a vibrant, fan-focused team is finally bearing fruit.
The American’s mission? To transform McLaren into F1’s Luke Skywalker—a beacon of positive energy and innovation.
Speaking recently to Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport, Brown didn’t shy away from acknowledging McLaren’s past image under former team boss Ron Dennis.
“If I compare it to Star Wars, McLaren has long played the role of Darth Vader,” he said. “Dark, cold, terrifying.”
But like any good redemption arc, Brown has flipped the script.
“We’re trying to look a bit like Skywalker right now. Lots of positive energy, colourful, young. That’s the fan in me talking.”
The McLaren of Old: A Dark Reign
Under Dennis’ reign, McLaren was the epitome of precision and seriousness. The black-and-silver liveries that graced the team’s cars from 1997 to 2016 became synonymous with a clinical, corporate approach to racing.
It was efficient, yes - but far from warm and inviting.
Dennis’ McLaren was a well-oiled machine that dominated F1 back ibn the late eighties, eventually earning eight Constructors’ Championships and twelve Drivers’ Championships.
However, the rigidity of that era also left McLaren feeling like a distant, almost intimidating force within the sport. Brown acknowledged this heritage while setting a new course.
“Ron Dennis is one of the three greatest legends of motorsport alongside Enzo Ferrari and Bernie Ecclestone,” Brown said.
“They created what Formula 1 is today. I would like to be on that list, but I would never dare to put myself on it today.
"I won six races with McLaren. Ron had that in titles alone.
“But I already feel like the captain of an incredible team that wants to live up to the success that McLaren has had in the sport over many years.”
The Brown Revolution: Papaya, Positivity, and Progress
When Brown stepped into the role of CEO in 2018, he didn’t just want to win races; he wanted to win hearts.
He traded the dark, menacing liveries of old for a vibrant papaya color scheme – a nod to team founder Bruce McLaren’s original vision from the 1960s.
“The colour papaya has become a brand,” Brown said. It’s more than just paint; it’s a philosophy.
“Our offerings for the fans, building the brand, the sponsors – I think we’ve made a lot of progress there.”
This transformation wasn’t just cosmetic. Brown overhauled McLaren’s operations, gradually fostering a culture of trust and collaboration that allowed his team to thrive.
Under the guidance of Andreas Seidl, McLaren returned to the top step of podium – albeit with a bout of good fortune – with Daniel Ricciardo in 2021 at Monza.
However, the German departed McLaren at the end of 2022 to join Audi-Sauber’s F1 project, a move which Brown did not counter, as he was more than happy to place then racing director Andrea Stella in control of the team’s operations.
The change completed McLaren’s upper-tier structural transformation. The result? A team that not only looks the part but also delivers on the track.
Brown emphasized the importance of delegation in the modern era of Formula 1, where teams are too massive for any one person to manage entirely.
“Today’s team bosses can no longer be compared with those of the past,” he explained.
“If you want to do it right, you have to have a team principal and a managing director. Andrea only looks after the team, I look after the rest.”
Building a New Identity
At the heart of McLaren’s transformation is Brown’s emphasis on creating an environment of trust and support.
“I have the feeling that I work for the team and not the other way round,” he said. “My job is to support [Andrea Stella]. With the financial resources, with the political issues.
“If Andrea was distracted by media work, marketing, contacts with shareholders or sponsors, he wouldn’t be able to do the job he does.
“With him, I knew what I was getting myself into.”
©McLaren
Brown credits this symbiotic relationship as a key factor in McLaren’s resurgence.
“Our personalities fit well together and we complement each other in our work. The same applies to the other directors.
“If you want to be successful, you have to have a culture in which people trust each other.”
From Vader’s Empire to Skywalker’s Rebellion
The results speak for themselves. McLaren’s return to the top of F1 culminated in their 2024 Constructors’ Championship – a crowning achievement after years of hard work.
Yet, Brown remains grounded, knowing that the journey is ongoing.
“On the track, Andrea is working on [McLaren] becoming a team that wins regularly again,” he said.
“I’m more concerned with things outside the race track. Our offerings for the fans, building the brand, the sponsors…
“I think we’ve made a lot of progress there. You can never stand still because times change so quickly.”
McLaren’s Darth Vader days are firmly in the rearview mirror. F1’s second most successful team on the grid now embodies the Skywalker spirit – a dynamic, engaging team that balances performance with positivity.
And while Brown may not wield a lightsaber, he’s certainly leading his team with the determination and vision of a Jedi Master.
So, is the Force with McLaren? Judging by their recent success and newfound identity, it certainly seems so. May the papaya be with you!
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