The shoots of a new season are already beginning to sprout. The holiday season is approaching, the Formula 1, INDYCAR and Extreme E campaigns have all been wrapped up, and we're in the middle of the esports season finale. Thanksgiving has been and gone, and Christmas is on the horizon.

It's a season in which we will become the only team to compete in Formula 1, INDYCAR, Formula E, Extreme E and esports. CEO Zak Brown recently sat down with Formula 1 journalist Tom Clarkson to discuss an array of topics from all five in a lengthy interview.

From Daniel Ricciardo's departure, Oscar Piastri's signing, and Lando's development, to the impact electric racing can have on the business and our chances in INDYCAR, we covered a lot of ground. Here's what we learned.

On Daniel Ricciardo's departure from McLaren…

The decision to part ways with Daniel was not one that the team took lightly. "Business is personal," Zak was keen to point out. The two had built up a relationship that stretched beyond the paddock, there was a lot of respect for one another and plenty of frustration across the board that it hadn't worked out as planned.

Daniel claimed Zak his first victory as our CEO, a moment the American says is his "favourite memory in 30 years in motorsports". Because of that win and a bet that the pair had made, Zak now has a tattoo of the Monza circuit on his arm, whilst Daniel got the chance to live out his dream of driving Dale Earnhardt Sr's 1984 Chevrolet Monte Carlo.

But ultimately, Zak and the team had to make the decision that he felt was best for McLaren, and says the conversations had between himself, Daniel and his team were "transparent" and "collaborative", adding that a lot of what was said online was "actually not what happened".

"I think as long as those that are close to us know what really happened, you just roll with the punches."

On recruiting Oscar and Lando's development at McLaren…

The decision of whom to sign as Daniel's replacement might not have been as emotionally and personally tough on Zak, but it was just as challenging to get right.

Signing a rookie looks like a risk on the face of it, but Zak's admiration for and faith in Oscar Piastri is total. "We think Oscar's going to be a sensational racing driver," Zak asserts. "He's won a lot of championships in his first year, which always tells you a driver's special."

And anyway, the last rookie signed to drive for our F1 team turned out pretty well, didn't they? Zak is confident that Oscar and Lando will make for a strong partnership, saying: "We sit here very excited with the potential of our driver line-up."

With Lando heading into his fourth season, Zak believes he has earned the right to be entrusted with more responsibility and leadership. "He just keeps getting better and better." Lando may only be 23, but he already has 82 race starts, six podiums and a pole position on his CV.

"He makes very few mistakes," Zak continues. "If I look at when he started versus now, he's got a very high level of confidence but not arrogance, and he's definitely at one with the team in the racing car."

On the growth of Formula 1 and the effect of the cost cap…

Zak has seen the popularity of F1 skyrocket since stepping into the role as our CEO, with the introduction of the Netflix documentary ‘Formula 1: Drive to Survive’ culminating in a new generation of fans. However, he feels that F1's ceiling is still much higher.

Key to this growth, he believes, will be the cost cap. Zak estimates that it will likely take "another two years" to see the true effects of this as the field levels out and advantages are lessened.

The installation of a wind tunnel and a brand-new simulator should go some way towards that aim for McLaren, as Zak believes that the top teams are still benefitting from a "better technology infrastructure". That gap should shrink, and the business grow.

"We were losing a hundred million pounds when I started, which is a documented number, whereas now we are cashflow positive and turning a profit."

On how INDYCAR is making us a more well-rounded team…

It's just over a year since we became the majority shareholder in Arrow McLaren SP, and just over three since the beginning of our original partnership with the team formerly known as Arrow Schmidt Peterson Motorsport.

On track, it's a relationship that has seen increased success, with four wins and 15 podiums, but what about off-track? Zak says that our INDYCAR outfit is helping to make McLaren a more well-rounded racing team, with increased knowledge, pedigree and a bigger fanbase, helping us to tap into North America.

"When we look at what makes our fans excited, where we sell our beautiful road cars and what our corporate partners want regarding market penetration, North America comes at the top of the list."

There are some brilliant minds between the two teams, and they're highly collaborative. Zak talks about their regular visits to the MTC and how it serves as a platform to share "experience, knowledge and technology," referring to McLaren as "one big motor racing family".

But of course, the primary reason for competing in INDYCAR is to win, and although he acknowledges the team remains in its infancy, he believes "we'll be winning races again next year". The infrastructure and staff continue to grow, with the arrival of the highly experienced Gavin Ward as Racing Director.

On why Electric racing is a big part of our future…

Sustainability is at the very core of everything we do. We released our first sustainability report this year, along with our goal to be net zero by 2040. Zak is certain that electric racing will be at the forefront of motor racing for the long term and sees it as a major part of our future.

The fact that XE teams are required to field both men and women appealed to us greatly, as did the series' focus on highlighting where climate change has impacted locations worldwide. But, more than anything, Zak and the team are excited by the learnings that can be taken from both XE and FE.

"I see a lot of things that Formula 1 can learn from INDYCAR, and that INDYCAR can learn from Formula E, and vice versa. Being in all these different racing series gives you a chance to try things."

Acquiring a team with the expertise of two-time champions Mercedes-EQ was an opportunity that couldn’t be turned down. Ian James led that team and will now head up our electric racing division – getting a mind of his calibre on board can only be beneficial.

"It was a great opportunity to hit the ground running with an existing team that already knows how to win."

On what could the future of McLaren look like…

Zak joined McLaren in November 2016 with a clear brief to get us back to the front. In his interview, he says that brief related solely to F1, but given our winning history in the likes of Can-Am, INDYCAR and the 24 Hours of Le Mans, he wanted us to compete in multiple championships, with "Formula 1 being our centre of gravity".

We want to win every championship we compete in, but we're pragmatic and realistic, and know we aren't there yet. The more minds, technology, and racing drivers we have in our stable, the closer Zak believes we come to this ultimate goal.

As it stands, we are the only team to compete across the five aforementioned series – could sports car racing be added to that? Zak says he would love for McLaren to return to The 24 Hours of Le Mans but insists that "the stars all need to align". We won't bite off more than we can chew.

In the short term, he wants a passionate racing outfit of people who work hard to form the "most engaging and exciting racing team", for fans and partners. Zak said at the start of his interview that McLaren stands for "racing", and we'll be doing plenty of it next year.

Watch the full interview with Zak on YouTube.

Join the team

McLaren Plus is our free-to-join fan loyalty programme, bringing McLaren fans closer to the team with the most inclusive, rewarding and open-to-all fan programmes in motorsport.

Sign up now, or current members can amend their details in the form below if necessary.