When Zak Brown joined McLaren Racing in 2016, he discovered a storied organization badly in need of a reboot. The team was firmly in the midfield, finishing sixth that season and experiencing record low sponsorship. Around the paddock, the workforce was disgruntled, and a culture of distrust had set in. Partners were fleeing, and fans were angry.

Despite a tough weekend for McLaren on the track, there was reason for Zak Brown to celebrate off it. Realistically Las Vegas was always going to be a challenging circuit for McLaren with cooler temperatures less suited to the cars,