McLaren CEO left surprised by 'very strong' power unit manufacturer in Barcelona
McLaren CEO Zak Brown admitted he was surprised by the Red Bull Ford power unit during testing in Barcelona.
“The Red Bull engine was very strong. I think everyone was pleasantly surprised”- Zak Brown
The brand-new power unit, built entirely by the Austrians in collaboration with Ford, racked up an impressive 622 laps over three days across Red Bull and Racing Bulls, making it the third most active engine manufacturer during the test.
“The Red Bull engine was very strong. I think everyone was pleasantly surprised. I’d rather not be as impressed with what they’ve done, because they came out, logged a lot of miles, and they seem to be very competitive,” he told David Land at the McLaren Racing Centre in Indianapolis.
Asked what he felt the early pecking order might look like, Brown added: “It looks like the big four (is) the big four, hard to know yet in what order. If you went to Vegas today, I think Mercedes looks like the favourite sitting here right now, but there’s a long way to go.”
“Aston Martin only got out at the very end. You have no idea where Williams stands. I think the grid will be more spread out, which is to be expected in a new formula for a little bit.”
Brown opens the door to Alonso and 'would love' to see him return to the Indy 500
Alonso has competed in three editions of the “Greatest Spectacle in Racing” with McLaren — in 2017, 2019 and 2020 — but a maiden victory has so far eluded him.
His debut in 2017 was cruelly cut short by an engine failure after he had led 27 laps. Two years later, he failed to make the grid, while his 2020 return ended with a 21st-place finish.
With his Aston Martin contract set to expire at the end of the season, the McLaren CEO has made it clear the door would be wide open for the two-time world champion to return for another Indy 500 attempt.
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