McLaren CEO Zak Brown has revealed that choosing between Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton for a vacant seat at the Woking-based team would have been a challenging decision.
McLaren CEO Zak Brown has revealed that choosing between Carlos Sainz and Lewis Hamilton for a vacant seat at the Woking-based team would have been a challenging decision.
Sainz was a McLaren driver when Ferrari recruited him for the 2021 season, where he excelled before being replaced in 2025 by seven-time world champion Hamilton.
Speaking at the Laureus awards in Madrid, Brown expressed openness to a Sainz reunion. “If we had a free spot, of course we would consider Carlos again,” he told Marca.
“But right now we have Lando (Norris) and Oscar (Piastri) under contract for several years. But if for some reason the situation changes and Carlos is available, I have his phone number in my address book.”
At Ferrari, Hamilton has struggled to match the pace of teammate Charles Leclerc, a consistency Sainz rarely lacked. When asked if he would have made the same call as Ferrari—to replace Sainz with a globally renowned figure like the 40-year-old Hamilton—Brown was circumspect.
“It’s not as simple as that,” the American said. “There are a lot of surrounding dynamics that play into it. Lewis is a seven time champion and there aren’t many times when you get to have a sportsman like that on your team. But at the same time, Carlos was incredible with us—a good friend, a great driver. Luckily, I wasn’t in a position to have to make that decision.”
Brown was unequivocal, however, about his interest in another former McLaren driver, Fernando Alonso, for McLaren’s planned return to the World Endurance Championship (WEC) and Le Mans in 2027.
“Fernando is one of the best,” he said. “I know because he worked for us! He’s an incredible athlete and although his days in Formula 1 will soon be over, we have already announced that we will return to Le Mans—a race he has already won—and I would love to see him back in a McLaren.”
Addressing the dynamic between McLaren’s current drivers, Brown acknowledged the anticipation surrounding a potential on-track clash between title contenders Norris and Piastri. “I don’t think it’s going to be as exciting as everyone thinks, and I think it will just be a racing incident,” he said.
“I think it’s inevitable, but neither of them is a hothead, so it doesn’t worry us and, to a certain extent, we’re eager to get this thing over with.”
ID:570936: cacheID:570936:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:3378:
