Zak Brown has tested
Daniel Ricciardo's
McLaren car from the 2021 season. The Australian driver drove the MCL35M to victory in the
Italian Grand Prix. The
McLaren team boss was overjoyed with the test, which came just a day after
Visa Cash App RB confirmed Ricciardo had been forced out of
F1.
Several drivers, including
Lewis Hamilton and
Max Verstappen, have paid tribute to the eight-time Grand Prix winner. His final win on that list came at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix. At that point, McLaren were not overly competitive in
Formula 1 and took a surprise victory.
Lando Norris, Ricciardo's teammate at the time, came second in the race.
Brown drives the F1 car himself
The McLaren CEO is a keen driver himself. He jumped in the cockpit at Silverstone. "An awesome day testing Daniel's 2021 #ItalianGP winning MCL35M at Silverstone. I’m a racer at heart and It's a privilege to drive such a meaningful car to me! And it turns out I'm faster than Pato. Who would have thought? (I wish!). A huge thank you to the whole crew who put the day together and set the car up," Brown said on social media.
McLaren finished fourth in the Constructors' Championship that season. In 2024, Norris and
Oscar Piastri are looking to duel with
Red Bull Racing and beat them in both world championships.