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Brown: McLaren success could be years away

18:23, 05 Jul 2018

byJake Williams-Smith

Zak Brown has played down expectations of McLaren success in the near future. The team have been on a downward spiral from 2013 onwards, their most recent embarrassment an admission that Renault power won't grant them a world championship, having paid millions to escape their works Honda deal.

It was announced on the eve of the British Grand Prix weekend that Eric Boullier would be stepping down from his position as racing director for the team, and a restructuring of leadership would take place with Gil de Ferran taking over as sporting director.

Brown warned fans and media alike however that it wouldn't be a quick fix for the team.

"This is going to take some time to fix," said Brown.

"I think we are years away. I don't know if that's two or 10, or somewhere in between. Probably more like somewhere in between, but I don't want to get into predictions.

"I think we have to be very realistic and honest with ourselves, with our fans, with you, to say that this is going to be a journey.

"I think everyone needs to recognise that. I think we had a good finish in the last race relative to where we started, but we were uncompetitive," he added.

"Not much has changed since last race, so I think everyone needs to not starting having too high expectations, ourself included, at Silverstone, because all that has really happened is five or six days have gone by."

McLaren will be hoping for a more positive weekend as Haas overhauled them in the constructor standings last weekend in Austria, a double points finish for the Amercian outfit relegating the Woking-team to sixth in the standings.