McLaren Method 1 crew boss Zak Brown says he’s “undoubtedly anticipating” Lewis Hamilton to be a title menace in his first season with Ferrari in 2025.
Seven-time F1 world champion Hamilton made the bombshell announcement within the 2024 pre-season that he can be leaving Mercedes for Ferrari this 12 months.
It’s a transfer that has generated an enormous quantity of anticipation, with many paddock voices tipping Hamilton to be a title challenger with Ferrari in 2025 – particularly with the Italian crew narrowly lacking out on the constructors’ prize.
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Talking forward of the F1 75 launch occasion in London on Tuesday, Brown picked his favourites to battle reigning constructors’ champions McLaren and its drivers for the championship.
“Undoubtedly anticipating Lewis being a championship contender,” he started.
“I believe we and Ferrari ended final 12 months with nothing between us. I believe that can proceed.
“Mercedes had been very shut, and so they nonetheless gained 4, 5 races.
“So, I’d put them in there. And naturally, Pink Bull, tremendous sturdy first half of the 12 months. Little bit much less sturdy center of the 12 months after which ended it very sturdy.
“So, I don’t assume there’s going to be something between these 4 groups.
“And clearly [Andrea] Kimi [Antonelli at Mercedes] and Liam [Lawson at Red Bull], Kimi being a rookie and Liam being inexperienced, I believe from that constructors’ perspective will in all probability current a bit extra of a problem over 24 races as a result of they’ll inevitably have some ‘rookie weekends’.
“However I believe they’re each extraordinarily fast drivers and anticipate each of them successful races.”
Lando Norris stated on Tuesday that McLaren has “no excuses” to not combat for the title in 2025, although Brown has warned the competitors shall be stiffer than ever and predicts the chance for eight completely different winners this season.
“It’s undoubtedly the objective – we need to go for the drivers’ and the constructors’ world championship, and why not be grasping and have that be 1-2,” he stated.
“We’ll let Lando and Oscar [Piastri] determine who’s one and who is 2. So, that’s our collective objective. I believe, because the drivers simply stated, this season must be epic and even nearer than final 12 months.
“So, I’m anticipating eight completely different winners. I believe final 12 months we had seven, 4 completely different groups gained, wouldn’t be stunned with how aggressive is… final 12 months each weekend whereas the highest 4 groups had been aggressive there at all times appeared to be somebody that was capable of disrupt.
“So, I count on that to occur once more. So, I wouldn’t be stunned if there was greater than 4 groups that gained. So, I believe we’re in retailer for an epic Method 1 season.”
Quotes offered by Crash F1 Editor Lewis Larkam
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