1 00:00:01,920 --> 00:00:05,200 Speaker 1: Welcome to tech Stuff. This is the story. Each week 2 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:08,119 Speaker 1: on Wednesdays, we bring you an in depth interview with 3 00:00:08,240 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: someone who has a front row seat to the most 4 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:15,680 Speaker 1: fascinating things happening in tech today. A conversation with the 5 00:00:15,680 --> 00:00:18,680 Speaker 1: person who has the front row seat to end all 6 00:00:18,760 --> 00:00:24,640 Speaker 1: front row seats, Zach Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing. If 7 00:00:24,640 --> 00:00:27,640 Speaker 1: you've ever tuned into the Netflix show Drive to Survive, 8 00:00:28,320 --> 00:00:31,880 Speaker 1: you may be familiar with Brown, but for the uninitiated, 9 00:00:32,360 --> 00:00:35,879 Speaker 1: he's the man with the ultimate responsibility for McLaren's F 10 00:00:35,960 --> 00:00:40,040 Speaker 1: one team, the strategic force behind the on track magic 11 00:00:40,080 --> 00:00:44,360 Speaker 1: of the drivers Lando Norris and Osco Piastre, and the 12 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:48,000 Speaker 1: feats of engineering that are McLaren F one race cars, 13 00:00:48,640 --> 00:00:52,480 Speaker 1: currently the fastest on the track. I met with Zach 14 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:56,400 Speaker 1: Brown at the team's headquarters outside of London, and what 15 00:00:56,520 --> 00:01:00,200 Speaker 1: I encountered was pretty different from your usual corporate office. 16 00:01:00,360 --> 00:01:04,480 Speaker 1: A place surrounded by green fields, a lake and sweeping 17 00:01:04,720 --> 00:01:09,000 Speaker 1: sci fi glass structures the McLaren Technology Center. 18 00:01:09,400 --> 00:01:11,280 Speaker 2: The best way to describe it is it looks like 19 00:01:11,319 --> 00:01:11,840 Speaker 2: Star Wars. 20 00:01:12,120 --> 00:01:13,000 Speaker 1: This is Zach Brown. 21 00:01:13,319 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 3: The building was designed by Sir Norman Foster now Lord Foster, 22 00:01:18,120 --> 00:01:21,200 Speaker 3: who also went on to do the Apple building, which 23 00:01:21,280 --> 00:01:25,720 Speaker 3: I think was inspired by their visit here, except those 24 00:01:25,760 --> 00:01:27,320 Speaker 3: are substantially larger. 25 00:01:27,360 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 1: The doughnuts in Kupertino. 26 00:01:28,720 --> 00:01:30,559 Speaker 2: Yeah, and more expensive for sure. 27 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:34,399 Speaker 3: You drive past the beautiful lake and then you come in. 28 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:36,760 Speaker 3: You enter what we call the boulevard. 29 00:01:37,080 --> 00:01:39,920 Speaker 1: The boulevard, that's what they call the room filled with 30 00:01:40,040 --> 00:01:44,319 Speaker 1: trophies and iconic McLaren vehicles from the archives of Formula 31 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:49,720 Speaker 1: one's second oldest team. History and innovation exist in parallel here, 32 00:01:50,360 --> 00:01:51,880 Speaker 1: including recent history. 33 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 2: This is the moment that McLaren dreamed of. 34 00:01:55,320 --> 00:02:00,520 Speaker 1: Lando Norris Winds the Abby Dabbi Dran Prix McLaren World 35 00:02:00,680 --> 00:02:04,480 Speaker 1: champions of twenty twenty four. They win the Constructors. As 36 00:02:04,560 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 1: soon as you walk into the McLaren Technology Center, you're 37 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:11,480 Speaker 1: confronted with a car that one Formula One's Constructor's Championship 38 00:02:11,600 --> 00:02:15,000 Speaker 1: last year. That's one of the two world championship titles 39 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:17,880 Speaker 1: in the sport, and a prize McLaren had last won 40 00:02:18,280 --> 00:02:21,240 Speaker 1: in nineteen ninety eight, more than twenty five years ago. 41 00:02:22,440 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 1: Since he joined McLaren in twenty sixteen, Zach Brown has 42 00:02:25,760 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 1: transformed the team into a powerhouse of effective teamwork and 43 00:02:30,280 --> 00:02:34,880 Speaker 1: motor racing technology. For him, the two are intrinsically connected. 44 00:02:35,760 --> 00:02:39,359 Speaker 1: I sat down with Zach to understand how if you're 45 00:02:39,360 --> 00:02:41,519 Speaker 1: a kind of casual F one fan and you're watching 46 00:02:41,600 --> 00:02:44,919 Speaker 1: Drive to Survive, it feels like most of the action 47 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:48,400 Speaker 1: takes place on track, right, But what do you not 48 00:02:48,480 --> 00:02:51,800 Speaker 1: understand about the sport if you don't understand what happens 49 00:02:51,800 --> 00:02:52,960 Speaker 1: here at the technology center. 50 00:02:53,919 --> 00:02:58,480 Speaker 3: The technology in these Formula One cars is amazing. Most 51 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:02,960 Speaker 3: people maybe don't have full appreciation of how much technology 52 00:03:03,400 --> 00:03:06,040 Speaker 3: or in these race cars, and how much technology there 53 00:03:06,080 --> 00:03:09,240 Speaker 3: is running the race cars, and how much technology there 54 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 3: is in designing and building the racing cars. 55 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:15,880 Speaker 2: Who are definitely cutting edge in every area. 56 00:03:16,240 --> 00:03:18,880 Speaker 3: We have a thousand people to put two race cars 57 00:03:18,880 --> 00:03:19,760 Speaker 3: on the track. 58 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:20,840 Speaker 2: That always blows. 59 00:03:20,600 --> 00:03:24,320 Speaker 3: People's mind a way is how large these teams are. 60 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:29,720 Speaker 3: Everything is bespoke and then during a race weekend, the 61 00:03:29,840 --> 00:03:33,720 Speaker 3: race is actually run from both at the racetrack but 62 00:03:33,800 --> 00:03:36,280 Speaker 3: also back here in mission control. So if you think 63 00:03:36,320 --> 00:03:39,920 Speaker 3: of NASA, you have those that are in the rocket, 64 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:43,840 Speaker 3: but then you've got on the ground the mission is 65 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:46,480 Speaker 3: being run, and that same thing takes place here in 66 00:03:46,480 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 3: a Formula One team. 67 00:03:47,400 --> 00:03:50,280 Speaker 1: So there's life communication from here to the racetrack during. 68 00:03:50,040 --> 00:03:58,160 Speaker 3: Each absolutely simulation communication data will have probably sixty people 69 00:03:58,200 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 3: here at a race weekend as if they were at 70 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:03,720 Speaker 3: the racetrack. So if it's three o'clock in the morning 71 00:04:03,760 --> 00:04:07,440 Speaker 3: here because we're racing in China, then it's three o'clock 72 00:04:07,480 --> 00:04:09,760 Speaker 3: in the morning here and feed everyone Accordingly. 73 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:13,480 Speaker 1: You're notorious for answering at your emails that at all hours, 74 00:04:13,480 --> 00:04:14,680 Speaker 1: so I guess that partly explained. 75 00:04:15,000 --> 00:04:17,200 Speaker 2: So we're a twenty four to seven business, that's for sure. 76 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:19,840 Speaker 1: Back in the beginning of twenty twenty three, you guys 77 00:04:19,920 --> 00:04:23,599 Speaker 1: were lagging and then you had this extraordinary win in 78 00:04:23,640 --> 00:04:27,880 Speaker 1: the Constructors Championship twenty twenty four and first place. Now 79 00:04:27,880 --> 00:04:30,640 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty five, What were some of the work 80 00:04:30,680 --> 00:04:34,719 Speaker 1: that happened here that allowed that extraordinary sporting turnaround? 81 00:04:35,360 --> 00:04:38,000 Speaker 3: It was people primarily. I mean, we did have some 82 00:04:38,120 --> 00:04:41,440 Speaker 3: new technologies that came online or wind tunnel I finally 83 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 3: got up and running. We'd been renting one out of 84 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:49,200 Speaker 3: the country, which was suboptimal logistically and things of that nature. 85 00:04:49,480 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 3: But the biggest thing was people. I put in Andrea 86 00:04:52,080 --> 00:04:55,920 Speaker 3: Stella in charge of the racing team. He then reorganized 87 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:58,839 Speaker 3: it with the same people that gave us the racing 88 00:04:58,839 --> 00:05:01,160 Speaker 3: car at the beginning of twenty two, pretty much the 89 00:05:01,200 --> 00:05:03,520 Speaker 3: same group that gave as a World Championship car twelve 90 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 3: months later. So it shows what a difference great leadership 91 00:05:07,440 --> 00:05:10,600 Speaker 3: can make. And he just set out clear goals, objectives, 92 00:05:10,680 --> 00:05:13,480 Speaker 3: got the morale and the culture. Everyone row in the 93 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:15,800 Speaker 3: same direction, and it was just amazing what a team 94 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:16,400 Speaker 3: effort it was. 95 00:05:16,920 --> 00:05:19,080 Speaker 1: When you win a race, how much is the driver 96 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:20,039 Speaker 1: and how much is the car? 97 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 2: Well, it has to be both at this level. 98 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 3: But a great driver can't drive around a car that's 99 00:05:26,240 --> 00:05:30,159 Speaker 3: not capable of winning. So I guess you'd say car first. 100 00:05:30,440 --> 00:05:33,479 Speaker 3: But four teams all have cars that can win. So 101 00:05:33,560 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 3: the difference between those eight drivers, if you'd like, is 102 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:41,040 Speaker 3: old driver. So you definitely need both, but you can't 103 00:05:41,080 --> 00:05:43,960 Speaker 3: make up for a race car that's not up for it. 104 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:46,240 Speaker 3: So that's what everyone focuses on. Here is our job 105 00:05:46,279 --> 00:05:48,960 Speaker 3: to get the two best drivers in the business first 106 00:05:48,960 --> 00:05:49,520 Speaker 3: and foremost. 107 00:05:49,560 --> 00:05:51,239 Speaker 2: We need to gem a car capable of winning. 108 00:05:51,560 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 1: How much time has the driver spend here quite. 109 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:58,800 Speaker 3: A bit their simulation marketing days, so I would say 110 00:05:58,839 --> 00:06:02,080 Speaker 3: they're in three days before a Grand Prix and three 111 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:05,000 Speaker 3: days after a Grand Prix, because you spend as much 112 00:06:05,040 --> 00:06:09,159 Speaker 3: time debriefing as you do preparing for a race weekend. 113 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:12,320 Speaker 1: And you had this kind of life changing experience. Was 114 00:06:12,360 --> 00:06:14,400 Speaker 1: in nineteen eighty seven when you met. 115 00:06:14,839 --> 00:06:16,520 Speaker 2: Mario ANDRETI to tell that story. 116 00:06:16,640 --> 00:06:18,400 Speaker 3: I went to Long Beach Grand Prix, which is the 117 00:06:18,440 --> 00:06:20,919 Speaker 3: second time I had gone, and at that point I 118 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:21,440 Speaker 3: wanted to. 119 00:06:21,400 --> 00:06:23,919 Speaker 2: Pursue a career in racing. 120 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:26,360 Speaker 3: And I got the chance to meet Mario and I 121 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:28,640 Speaker 3: asked him how you get started in racing? That was 122 00:06:28,680 --> 00:06:30,919 Speaker 3: the one and only question I was brave enough to 123 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:33,159 Speaker 3: ask him, and he said karting, And there happened to 124 00:06:33,160 --> 00:06:36,440 Speaker 3: be an ad in the race program for Jim hole 125 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:39,840 Speaker 3: Cart Racing School, and went and bought a goat kart 126 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:42,320 Speaker 3: and that was the start of the racing. 127 00:06:42,480 --> 00:06:44,360 Speaker 2: Was Mario's a little bit of advice there? 128 00:06:44,680 --> 00:06:46,880 Speaker 1: Fine? If we had a guest on the show recently 129 00:06:46,880 --> 00:06:49,360 Speaker 1: who'd been on the Voice and I had use their 130 00:06:49,400 --> 00:06:53,039 Speaker 1: proceeds to fund their first reporting trip to Syria. But 131 00:06:53,120 --> 00:06:57,159 Speaker 1: you also had a game show enabled Yeah, yeah. 132 00:06:57,200 --> 00:06:59,200 Speaker 3: I was on Wheel of Fortune teen week when I 133 00:06:59,240 --> 00:07:02,560 Speaker 3: was thirteen and won the first two rounds, which were 134 00:07:02,839 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 3: a bunch of watches and went on to sell those 135 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:09,080 Speaker 3: at a pawnshop. And so after I got my little 136 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:12,440 Speaker 3: bit of advice for Mario, I cashed in my winnings, 137 00:07:12,520 --> 00:07:14,360 Speaker 3: got a go kart and the rest is history. 138 00:07:14,520 --> 00:07:16,960 Speaker 1: And when did you first get involved with Formula one 139 00:07:17,240 --> 00:07:19,280 Speaker 1: itself on the professional side? 140 00:07:19,400 --> 00:07:23,520 Speaker 3: My first ever sponsorship was with McLaren twenty years ago. 141 00:07:23,680 --> 00:07:26,880 Speaker 1: And how have you seen the sport change, in particular 142 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:30,360 Speaker 1: driven by technology in those twenty years technology. 143 00:07:30,400 --> 00:07:34,360 Speaker 3: It's the most technically advanced sport in the world. The 144 00:07:34,440 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 3: data that we're pulling off these cars is amazing. The 145 00:07:39,120 --> 00:07:42,360 Speaker 3: way we're using over three hundred centers on the race. 146 00:07:42,160 --> 00:07:43,760 Speaker 1: Car and where are they on the car? 147 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:44,480 Speaker 2: Everywhere? 148 00:07:44,640 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 3: There's nothing about the race car we don't know. We 149 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 3: pulled down one and a half terabytes of data a weekend. 150 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:54,680 Speaker 3: We run about fifty million simulations. There's seventy five thousand 151 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 3: parts on a Formula one car and you change about 152 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:02,480 Speaker 3: eighty percent of the non homoligated part of the racecar 153 00:08:02,600 --> 00:08:03,720 Speaker 3: over the course of the years. 154 00:08:03,760 --> 00:08:06,360 Speaker 2: So we live in a literally in a prototype world. 155 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:10,160 Speaker 1: You mentioned NASA and Mission Control earlier that it's not 156 00:08:10,160 --> 00:08:11,200 Speaker 1: far off, it's. 157 00:08:11,080 --> 00:08:13,720 Speaker 3: Not far off at all, but they're not necessarily trying 158 00:08:13,760 --> 00:08:15,000 Speaker 3: to get to the moon faster. 159 00:08:15,520 --> 00:08:17,679 Speaker 2: We're trying to get to the moon faster every weekend. 160 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:20,280 Speaker 1: And I know you like to bring in sort of 161 00:08:20,520 --> 00:08:23,600 Speaker 1: outside council from you know, the likes of Michael Jordan 162 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:26,840 Speaker 1: and you know, incredible athletes. On the tech side, I 163 00:08:26,880 --> 00:08:28,720 Speaker 1: mean you mentioned the Apple guys came here and were 164 00:08:28,720 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 1: inspired by the office. You have partnerships with companies like 165 00:08:31,560 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 1: Dell who have their you know, the name on the car. 166 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:38,120 Speaker 1: How do you maintain McLaren's edge on the tech side with. 167 00:08:38,160 --> 00:08:41,960 Speaker 3: Our partners, and we have some of the most unbelievable 168 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:46,840 Speaker 3: technology companies in the world, Google, Dell, Cisco, the list 169 00:08:46,960 --> 00:08:49,199 Speaker 3: go on of you know, the leaders in their industry. 170 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:52,040 Speaker 3: So we work very closely with them. That's one of 171 00:08:52,080 --> 00:08:55,120 Speaker 3: the things that when we look for partners long ago, 172 00:08:55,200 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 3: it was a sticker on a race car. Now it's 173 00:08:57,559 --> 00:09:04,319 Speaker 3: all about collaboration, work together, developing technologies together, storytelling around 174 00:09:04,440 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 3: how we use their technology, and we want to use 175 00:09:07,880 --> 00:09:10,240 Speaker 3: their technology because they're best in class to make us 176 00:09:10,280 --> 00:09:10,840 Speaker 3: go faster. 177 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:14,160 Speaker 2: So we have a lot of great technology. 178 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:18,200 Speaker 1: Partners and you'll see over turn Racing who is in 179 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:19,920 Speaker 1: charge of the development of the car. 180 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:22,480 Speaker 2: Here a variety of people. 181 00:09:22,600 --> 00:09:26,600 Speaker 3: I mean, ultimately the technical team reports into Andrea Stella. 182 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:32,040 Speaker 3: We have technical directors three or four that are the 183 00:09:32,040 --> 00:09:39,120 Speaker 3: best in their disciplines, chief designer, manufacturing, aerodynamics, vehicle performance. 184 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:42,640 Speaker 3: So they all come together at a very senior level 185 00:09:42,720 --> 00:09:47,720 Speaker 3: to build the racing car. So it's those respective groups 186 00:09:48,240 --> 00:09:51,360 Speaker 3: that about seven hundred and fifty people that are actually 187 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:55,160 Speaker 3: responsible for, in one way or another, touching the race car. 188 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:03,719 Speaker 1: When we come back, Zach Brown tells us just how 189 00:10:03,760 --> 00:10:07,360 Speaker 1: influential F one regulations are on the final design of 190 00:10:07,400 --> 00:10:23,280 Speaker 1: the race cars. Welcome back. I had the opportunity to 191 00:10:23,320 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: sit down with Zach Brown at the McLaren Technology Center 192 00:10:26,880 --> 00:10:29,920 Speaker 1: and pick his brain about the strategy behind running an 193 00:10:30,000 --> 00:10:32,880 Speaker 1: F one team. So of course I had to ask 194 00:10:32,920 --> 00:10:37,520 Speaker 1: Brown about McLaren's team principal Andrea Stella, a highly regarded 195 00:10:37,600 --> 00:10:40,920 Speaker 1: F one engineer whose promotion may have been a turning 196 00:10:40,920 --> 00:10:42,200 Speaker 1: point for McLaren Racing. 197 00:10:42,679 --> 00:10:46,120 Speaker 3: I wanted him to run the racing team last time around, 198 00:10:46,559 --> 00:10:49,920 Speaker 3: but he felt he wasn't ready. And he's a gentleman 199 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 3: who doesn't lead with his ego. He leads with what 200 00:10:52,600 --> 00:10:55,000 Speaker 3: he thinks he's capable of and where he thinks he 201 00:10:55,040 --> 00:10:57,480 Speaker 3: can achieve. And I guess you would say we disagreed 202 00:10:57,480 --> 00:10:59,800 Speaker 3: because I thought he was ready four years ago. 203 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:01,720 Speaker 2: He didn't think he was ready till two years ago. 204 00:11:02,320 --> 00:11:05,080 Speaker 3: We'll never know, but what's clear is he's been ready 205 00:11:05,320 --> 00:11:08,120 Speaker 3: since he accepted and he's done a fantastic job. 206 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:11,760 Speaker 1: When people look back at this time and write the 207 00:11:11,800 --> 00:11:15,720 Speaker 1: case study on twenty twenty four and hopefully twenty twenty five, 208 00:11:16,400 --> 00:11:19,520 Speaker 1: what will they focus on in terms of what the 209 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:22,000 Speaker 1: changes that Andrews Seller brought to the team were. 210 00:11:22,800 --> 00:11:27,880 Speaker 3: Getting everything to come together. Everything feeds performance on the 211 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:31,480 Speaker 3: racing car. So Andrea is responsible for the technical side 212 00:11:31,520 --> 00:11:34,280 Speaker 3: of the business. But you need to have a great 213 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:38,679 Speaker 3: communications department so you have huge fan base. We have 214 00:11:38,840 --> 00:11:43,199 Speaker 3: a cost cap now, so living within a fiscal challenges, 215 00:11:43,360 --> 00:11:46,800 Speaker 3: you need to spend wisely, So your finance department plays 216 00:11:46,800 --> 00:11:51,240 Speaker 3: a massive role. So that's the people that don't touch 217 00:11:51,280 --> 00:11:53,719 Speaker 3: the race car. But it all feeds into the race car. 218 00:11:53,840 --> 00:11:57,000 Speaker 3: So you need to get every department being the best 219 00:11:57,040 --> 00:12:00,280 Speaker 3: they can be, and then it's collaboration. It's team work. 220 00:12:00,280 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 3: Getting a thousand people all row in the same direction. 221 00:12:04,360 --> 00:12:07,320 Speaker 1: You mentioned the cost cap. One of the fascinating things 222 00:12:07,320 --> 00:12:12,280 Speaker 1: about this sport is how many restrictions and regulations there are. 223 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:16,199 Speaker 1: I mean there's this sort of phrase that constraint drives creativity. 224 00:12:16,840 --> 00:12:20,559 Speaker 1: But can you explain how the rules from the governing 225 00:12:20,600 --> 00:12:23,960 Speaker 1: body impact the car do you see on the track 226 00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:28,720 Speaker 1: and how technology what the interplay of technology is to 227 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 1: make sure that the car, the message of the track 228 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:33,120 Speaker 1: is the best that can be made within the restrictions 229 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:34,280 Speaker 1: imposed by the governing body. 230 00:12:34,400 --> 00:12:39,960 Speaker 3: Yeah, you've got very sophisticated rules on specification of the car. 231 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:43,600 Speaker 3: I think the engineer's interpret if it says you unless 232 00:12:43,600 --> 00:12:46,160 Speaker 3: it says you can't do it, then they get into 233 00:12:46,160 --> 00:12:48,120 Speaker 3: a mindset of well then you can do it. So 234 00:12:48,160 --> 00:12:52,400 Speaker 3: I think that's where the creativity comes in, this interpretation 235 00:12:52,880 --> 00:12:56,360 Speaker 3: of the rules. And then from a business point of view, 236 00:12:56,920 --> 00:13:00,640 Speaker 3: we have very few rules compared to other sports. Technically 237 00:13:00,679 --> 00:13:03,680 Speaker 3: we probably have the most sophisticated set of rules, but 238 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:06,480 Speaker 3: from a business standpoint we almost have no rules. So, 239 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:10,360 Speaker 3: in one aspect is wild while west compared to other 240 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:15,760 Speaker 3: sports that have very specific dos and don'ts around players 241 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:17,440 Speaker 3: and managers and things of that nature. 242 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:21,440 Speaker 1: How much do these rules drive the vehicleusy on the track? 243 00:13:21,880 --> 00:13:24,120 Speaker 3: Completely one hundred percent. I mean you got to be 244 00:13:24,200 --> 00:13:28,839 Speaker 3: within the rules, and the tests and regulations around the 245 00:13:29,040 --> 00:13:32,840 Speaker 3: legality of the cars is immense. Last race you saw 246 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:35,520 Speaker 3: the two Ferraris and a Alping disqualified. 247 00:13:36,080 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 2: That wouldn't have been up to anything they shouldn't have been. 248 00:13:38,520 --> 00:13:40,920 Speaker 2: But you run the margin of. 249 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:42,640 Speaker 3: Error so close that if you get a little bit 250 00:13:42,679 --> 00:13:45,680 Speaker 3: wrong that one car was a little underweight and one had. 251 00:13:45,520 --> 00:13:46,840 Speaker 2: A little bit too much skidware. 252 00:13:47,360 --> 00:13:50,199 Speaker 3: So it is very difficult because you're trying to get 253 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:54,040 Speaker 3: to the absolute limit and not go over, and you're 254 00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:57,959 Speaker 3: talking about less than a kilo underweight on something that's 255 00:13:58,000 --> 00:14:03,760 Speaker 3: eight hundred kilos. But kilo is a p handful of milliseconds. 256 00:14:04,400 --> 00:14:07,360 Speaker 3: Ten kilos is three tenths of a second. Entire grid 257 00:14:08,040 --> 00:14:11,640 Speaker 3: is covered by a second, so you don't want to 258 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:14,640 Speaker 3: leave any weight on the table. But if you cut 259 00:14:14,640 --> 00:14:18,320 Speaker 3: it too close you get disqualified. So the rules definitely 260 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:20,040 Speaker 3: drive what the race cars look like. 261 00:14:20,400 --> 00:14:23,240 Speaker 1: The other fascinating thing is that the number of hours 262 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:25,520 Speaker 1: the car is allowed to actually be on the track 263 00:14:25,760 --> 00:14:29,520 Speaker 1: is surprisingly very low. Can you also talk about that 264 00:14:29,680 --> 00:14:32,280 Speaker 1: and how why that makes the work that happens here 265 00:14:32,320 --> 00:14:33,920 Speaker 1: the technology set, It is important. 266 00:14:33,560 --> 00:14:36,560 Speaker 3: Yeah, so there's a big testing restriction. We only get 267 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:38,680 Speaker 3: three test days to start the year, and you've got 268 00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:41,040 Speaker 3: two drivers, so it's very little testing. And you used 269 00:14:41,040 --> 00:14:45,160 Speaker 3: to have unlimited testing. So you're effectively what you would 270 00:14:45,160 --> 00:14:49,000 Speaker 3: have tested on track fifteen to twenty years ago with 271 00:14:49,120 --> 00:14:52,640 Speaker 3: as much testing as you wanted. That's now shifted to 272 00:14:53,160 --> 00:14:57,160 Speaker 3: CFD wind tunnel simulation in that order. 273 00:14:57,800 --> 00:15:01,280 Speaker 1: Can you explain each of those concepts, simulation and wind 274 00:15:01,280 --> 00:15:02,160 Speaker 1: tunnel on how they apply? 275 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 2: Oh? 276 00:15:02,480 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean CfDS all computer generated and so it's 277 00:15:06,160 --> 00:15:11,360 Speaker 3: a bunch of mathematical equations and aerodynamic flow things. 278 00:15:11,120 --> 00:15:12,080 Speaker 2: Of that nature. 279 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:15,520 Speaker 3: So it's effectively designing a race car on a computer 280 00:15:15,680 --> 00:15:20,000 Speaker 3: and then testing it if you'd like. That'll give you data, 281 00:15:20,160 --> 00:15:22,440 Speaker 3: so that's fully in the computer, fully in the computer. 282 00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:26,200 Speaker 3: Then you'll turn that into a half scale or so 283 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:28,640 Speaker 3: model of the real race car. You'll stick that in 284 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:33,040 Speaker 3: the wind tunnel where are not allowed through regulation have 285 00:15:33,080 --> 00:15:35,880 Speaker 3: a full scale wind tunnel, so it's it's scaled. 286 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:37,800 Speaker 2: Does that mean smaller? Correct? 287 00:15:37,960 --> 00:15:41,520 Speaker 3: And then you have restrictions around how often you can 288 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:43,840 Speaker 3: run the wind tunnel, so you need to make sure 289 00:15:44,000 --> 00:15:48,800 Speaker 3: you're confident that what's coming out of CFD is going. 290 00:15:48,560 --> 00:15:51,560 Speaker 2: To work, otherwise you're wasting wind tunnel time. 291 00:15:51,760 --> 00:15:53,360 Speaker 1: And how do they monitor how much you use the 292 00:15:53,360 --> 00:15:53,880 Speaker 1: wind tunnel. 293 00:15:54,120 --> 00:15:57,840 Speaker 3: It's all all logged into the FIA, who's our governing body, 294 00:15:57,920 --> 00:15:59,600 Speaker 3: so they know how many runs. 295 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:01,080 Speaker 2: We're doing and for how long. 296 00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:04,400 Speaker 3: You then run the wind tunnel to see if what 297 00:16:04,400 --> 00:16:06,720 Speaker 3: you've seen in the computer it you know, you kind 298 00:16:06,720 --> 00:16:11,640 Speaker 3: of see in miniature size real life. Then you input 299 00:16:11,680 --> 00:16:15,080 Speaker 3: all that data into the simulator. You let the driver 300 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:17,280 Speaker 3: then go drive it and see if they actually can 301 00:16:17,320 --> 00:16:20,080 Speaker 3: see the performance that you think you've found in the 302 00:16:20,560 --> 00:16:22,920 Speaker 3: in the wind tunnel, and then if you're confident you have, 303 00:16:23,000 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 3: then you go ahead and manufacture the bits for the 304 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:27,200 Speaker 3: race car. You put it on the race car and 305 00:16:27,280 --> 00:16:30,320 Speaker 3: hope the race car feeds back in the same way 306 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 3: your simulation has. 307 00:16:32,120 --> 00:16:35,040 Speaker 1: And what about AI. I mean, we're kind of in 308 00:16:35,080 --> 00:16:38,080 Speaker 1: this amazing moment where kind of engineering and design and 309 00:16:38,160 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 1: like everything seems to be being changed by generative AI. 310 00:16:41,440 --> 00:16:44,200 Speaker 1: Is that I guess simulation is AI essentially, But I 311 00:16:44,240 --> 00:16:46,560 Speaker 1: mean in a five year view, how much you're thinking 312 00:16:46,600 --> 00:16:50,040 Speaker 1: about how these longer term technological trends. 313 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:53,960 Speaker 3: May Yeah, we have a team that's dedicated to emerging technologies. 314 00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 3: We're using AI now, I think you'll never replace the 315 00:16:58,080 --> 00:17:00,480 Speaker 3: human because there's something that's called kind of race or 316 00:17:00,520 --> 00:17:04,480 Speaker 3: instinct which is needing to really understand the full environment. 317 00:17:04,560 --> 00:17:08,560 Speaker 3: I think AI can feed you data and information quicker 318 00:17:08,920 --> 00:17:14,320 Speaker 3: to make more informed, less cluttered decisions. But I don't 319 00:17:14,359 --> 00:17:16,639 Speaker 3: see a day where AI tells you when depit. 320 00:17:17,480 --> 00:17:18,760 Speaker 2: I can see there being a. 321 00:17:18,760 --> 00:17:21,800 Speaker 3: Day when AI tells you what historically has happened and 322 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:24,720 Speaker 3: therefore give you some data to make a more educated, 323 00:17:24,840 --> 00:17:28,639 Speaker 3: quicker decision on We're using AI around marketing, We're using 324 00:17:28,680 --> 00:17:33,680 Speaker 3: AI around tire data, so we are leaning in and 325 00:17:34,040 --> 00:17:38,119 Speaker 3: it's a culture where people embrace new technologies. I'm personally 326 00:17:38,200 --> 00:17:42,119 Speaker 3: someone who gets stuck with what I've been used to 327 00:17:42,160 --> 00:17:43,520 Speaker 3: in a bit of a creature, a habit, and what 328 00:17:43,600 --> 00:17:45,399 Speaker 3: you need are in a Formula one team or people 329 00:17:45,400 --> 00:17:48,240 Speaker 3: that are excited to try something that they've never tried before. 330 00:17:48,760 --> 00:17:51,200 Speaker 1: You had a choice back in twenty sixteen right whether 331 00:17:51,240 --> 00:17:54,800 Speaker 1: to join McLaren or f one itself for it, and 332 00:17:54,840 --> 00:17:55,560 Speaker 1: you chose McLaren. 333 00:17:55,560 --> 00:17:56,879 Speaker 2: Obviously I wanted to go racing. 334 00:17:57,240 --> 00:18:00,919 Speaker 3: I felt that the Formula one opportunity is awesome as 335 00:18:00,920 --> 00:18:03,800 Speaker 3: it was was a little bit of what I'd been 336 00:18:03,800 --> 00:18:08,080 Speaker 3: doing for twenty years, just on a bigger scale, where 337 00:18:08,280 --> 00:18:11,240 Speaker 3: McLaren offered me the opportunity not only to continue what 338 00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:13,960 Speaker 3: I was doing from a commercial standpoint, which I very 339 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:17,000 Speaker 3: much enjoy, but when the lights go out near on pitwall, 340 00:18:17,560 --> 00:18:20,320 Speaker 3: you're racing, and that was something that I felt I 341 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:22,600 Speaker 3: had missed from when i'd hung up from driving. 342 00:18:23,280 --> 00:18:27,639 Speaker 1: When you arrived, you said you found this place in disarray. 343 00:18:27,800 --> 00:18:28,879 Speaker 1: How did that become clear to you? 344 00:18:29,640 --> 00:18:32,600 Speaker 2: I think it was clear to everyone our results. 345 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:36,080 Speaker 3: We were ninth in the championship, We had very few sponsors, 346 00:18:36,160 --> 00:18:39,280 Speaker 3: we were losing a lot of money. Fans were disgruntled, 347 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:43,720 Speaker 3: employees were disgruntled drivers who were disgruntled. So it wasn't 348 00:18:43,720 --> 00:18:48,600 Speaker 3: a happy environment. I think was well documented. We had 349 00:18:48,680 --> 00:18:52,560 Speaker 3: challenges at the shareholder level. They had a dispute. So 350 00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:58,160 Speaker 3: I think when you've got the very top leadership not aligned, 351 00:18:58,280 --> 00:19:01,959 Speaker 3: then that's going to have a trickle down impact on 352 00:19:02,000 --> 00:19:06,320 Speaker 3: the organization. And I think it lacked focus, lacked leadership, 353 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:09,959 Speaker 3: and so things started unravel in a very competitive sport. 354 00:19:10,080 --> 00:19:13,840 Speaker 3: So fortunately, through changing the leadership team, getting great people 355 00:19:13,880 --> 00:19:19,400 Speaker 3: around me, reversing the downward trajectory and the negative momentum 356 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:22,840 Speaker 3: that we had, went about rebuilding the team, and here 357 00:19:22,880 --> 00:19:25,120 Speaker 3: we are nine years later, world champions. 358 00:19:25,800 --> 00:19:29,280 Speaker 1: But the first question for you was not about technology 359 00:19:29,359 --> 00:19:32,320 Speaker 1: or engineering or even about driver recruitment. It was about 360 00:19:32,840 --> 00:19:34,360 Speaker 1: how you work together to the team. 361 00:19:34,640 --> 00:19:35,399 Speaker 2: All about people. 362 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:37,800 Speaker 3: And we see it in all sports, right You see 363 00:19:39,000 --> 00:19:41,040 Speaker 3: some mega teams with all the all stars and the 364 00:19:41,080 --> 00:19:43,320 Speaker 3: big names not get it done because they don't work 365 00:19:43,359 --> 00:19:46,520 Speaker 3: well together. And then you see the underdogs, which are 366 00:19:46,520 --> 00:19:48,960 Speaker 3: always a great story, you know, kind of overachieve and 367 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:51,360 Speaker 3: that's because they came together as a team. 368 00:19:52,040 --> 00:19:55,760 Speaker 1: We were a student of management philosophy or of leadership 369 00:19:55,840 --> 00:19:59,000 Speaker 1: or I mean, where did you was the Zach Brown school? 370 00:19:59,359 --> 00:20:04,600 Speaker 3: Just having my my own successful business, which was easier 371 00:20:04,640 --> 00:20:08,399 Speaker 3: in some senses because I built the culture from one 372 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:12,560 Speaker 3: employee at a time versus coming into an environment where 373 00:20:12,720 --> 00:20:14,720 Speaker 3: it had its own culture and it wasn't a good 374 00:20:14,760 --> 00:20:16,400 Speaker 3: place and it was a thousand people. So I think 375 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:19,760 Speaker 3: it's easier to build than to change. But then I've 376 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:23,600 Speaker 3: been around successful people. I've been fortunate as a racing 377 00:20:23,720 --> 00:20:27,240 Speaker 3: driver to be around a lot of successful racing team 378 00:20:27,960 --> 00:20:32,399 Speaker 3: and not successful racing team. So I think I'm always 379 00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,399 Speaker 3: pay attention, ask a lot of questions, and think I 380 00:20:35,440 --> 00:20:38,199 Speaker 3: went about it just from understanding what good looks like, 381 00:20:38,280 --> 00:20:41,040 Speaker 3: what bad looks like. And it's pretty obvious if you 382 00:20:41,640 --> 00:20:42,880 Speaker 3: paying attention in your care. 383 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:45,160 Speaker 1: So you came in and you had to turn around 384 00:20:45,240 --> 00:20:50,040 Speaker 1: job on your hands, and you succeeded. But then beginning 385 00:20:50,040 --> 00:20:53,680 Speaker 1: twenty twenty three, all of a sudden, it was on 386 00:20:53,720 --> 00:20:57,959 Speaker 1: your watch and things weren't going well. How did that 387 00:20:58,040 --> 00:21:00,800 Speaker 1: challenge compare to the challenge of coming into place. 388 00:21:01,560 --> 00:21:04,320 Speaker 2: That was worse or a bigger challenge? 389 00:21:04,680 --> 00:21:10,600 Speaker 3: Because when I came in, I didn't create the situation 390 00:21:10,720 --> 00:21:11,040 Speaker 3: we were in. 391 00:21:11,080 --> 00:21:13,439 Speaker 2: I knew it was my job to fix it. I 392 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:14,480 Speaker 2: made some changes. 393 00:21:14,680 --> 00:21:18,200 Speaker 3: Top three people that were running the racing team are 394 00:21:18,240 --> 00:21:21,720 Speaker 3: no longer here, and so I did identify it. 395 00:21:21,800 --> 00:21:22,600 Speaker 2: I saw it coming. 396 00:21:23,320 --> 00:21:27,359 Speaker 3: I had some pretty brutal conversations over the summer break. 397 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:32,120 Speaker 3: I spotted in June that I didn't like what I 398 00:21:32,160 --> 00:21:35,880 Speaker 3: was seeing, and there's about six month lag, and. 399 00:21:35,840 --> 00:21:38,760 Speaker 2: So fortunately at least had comfort. 400 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:41,920 Speaker 3: I knew why we got into the challenge we were 401 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:43,240 Speaker 3: in and what I thought we. 402 00:21:43,240 --> 00:21:44,400 Speaker 2: Needed to do to get out of it. 403 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:47,800 Speaker 1: What does it mean for you as a leader? To 404 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:48,440 Speaker 1: pull it off. 405 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:52,320 Speaker 2: Very proud of everything that the team is done. We've 406 00:21:52,359 --> 00:21:53,720 Speaker 2: earned this the hard way. 407 00:21:54,359 --> 00:21:58,479 Speaker 3: Some of our competitors have never had financial challenges, so 408 00:21:58,520 --> 00:22:01,480 Speaker 3: they've had the luxury have been able to focus purely 409 00:22:01,520 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 3: on performance. We needed to focus on economics to be 410 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:08,080 Speaker 3: able to pay for the performance. So I think I 411 00:22:08,119 --> 00:22:17,600 Speaker 3: wouldn't have it any other way. 412 00:22:18,359 --> 00:22:21,040 Speaker 1: After the break, we revisit the down to the Wide 413 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:36,919 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four Constructors Championship victory with Zach Brown. Welcome 414 00:22:36,920 --> 00:22:39,879 Speaker 1: back to tech stuff. Let's dive into my conversation with 415 00:22:39,960 --> 00:22:43,600 Speaker 1: the CEO of McLaren Racing, Zach Brown. I was looking 416 00:22:43,640 --> 00:22:46,920 Speaker 1: on Twitter this morning and back in twenty twenty three 417 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:51,399 Speaker 1: there was this sack Zach hashtag, which is hard to 418 00:22:51,480 --> 00:22:54,680 Speaker 1: imagine now. And likewise, back at the beginning twenty four, 419 00:22:54,760 --> 00:22:59,080 Speaker 1: there was a hashtag Lando nowins, So I can. 420 00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:04,240 Speaker 2: Imagine a new hashtag for those people. It's not appropriate. 421 00:23:05,320 --> 00:23:09,159 Speaker 1: Not for a family friendly, but it must have. You 422 00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:10,800 Speaker 1: must have been able to put your arm around him 423 00:23:10,800 --> 00:23:13,399 Speaker 1: in a unique way, having dealt without yourself just the 424 00:23:13,480 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 1: year before. 425 00:23:14,720 --> 00:23:16,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean, at the end of the day, I 426 00:23:16,520 --> 00:23:18,800 Speaker 3: think we'd had a couple of chances to win that 427 00:23:18,840 --> 00:23:22,439 Speaker 3: we didn't seize the moment. But coming back to you 428 00:23:22,480 --> 00:23:24,919 Speaker 3: know where he started as a car or driver, I 429 00:23:24,960 --> 00:23:29,040 Speaker 3: think he had some comfort in knowing that he wasn't 430 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:33,520 Speaker 3: winning because the car wasn't yet ready on many occasions, 431 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:35,719 Speaker 3: and I think he's now proven that won't give him 432 00:23:35,720 --> 00:23:38,960 Speaker 3: a car that's capable winning to go out and win. 433 00:23:39,119 --> 00:23:41,200 Speaker 3: So I think it was frustrating because any Grand Prix 434 00:23:41,320 --> 00:23:44,160 Speaker 3: driver wants to win, But I think it didn't dent 435 00:23:44,280 --> 00:23:47,640 Speaker 3: his confidence because he knew he wasn't the reason we 436 00:23:47,640 --> 00:23:49,920 Speaker 3: weren't winning. It was that we needed that last little 437 00:23:49,960 --> 00:23:53,080 Speaker 3: bit out of our race car, which we now have found. 438 00:23:53,640 --> 00:23:56,120 Speaker 1: Going back to started last season, there is a big 439 00:23:56,119 --> 00:24:00,240 Speaker 1: scandal around Christian Horner, your your counterpartner a red Bull, 440 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:03,480 Speaker 1: and in the first episode Drives Survive, it looked like 441 00:24:03,520 --> 00:24:06,520 Speaker 1: you in a sense smelt blood or when he was 442 00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:09,240 Speaker 1: when he was in the middle of that media fire store. 443 00:24:09,280 --> 00:24:11,720 Speaker 1: I mean, did you have a sense in that moment, 444 00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:15,240 Speaker 1: knowing how important a functional team is as you do, 445 00:24:16,320 --> 00:24:18,320 Speaker 1: there might be an opportunity that you hadn't expected. 446 00:24:18,680 --> 00:24:22,480 Speaker 3: Yeah, I mean our sport maybe more so than other sports. 447 00:24:22,520 --> 00:24:24,199 Speaker 3: But I want to profess to be an expert on 448 00:24:24,240 --> 00:24:27,240 Speaker 3: another sports, So forgive me if I have this wrong 449 00:24:27,359 --> 00:24:32,400 Speaker 3: other sports, but there is a destabilized the competition aspect 450 00:24:32,520 --> 00:24:34,680 Speaker 3: to this sport, and so I'm sure that happens in 451 00:24:34,960 --> 00:24:39,920 Speaker 3: other sports, but here you're fighting for employees, drivers, sponsors. 452 00:24:40,440 --> 00:24:43,920 Speaker 3: Media is play a big role in our sport. So 453 00:24:44,400 --> 00:24:48,480 Speaker 3: if you can create some tension in other teams or destabilize, 454 00:24:48,680 --> 00:24:50,760 Speaker 3: that helps slow the competition down while you're trying to 455 00:24:50,760 --> 00:24:51,600 Speaker 3: speed yourself up. 456 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:54,119 Speaker 1: How much does drives change the sport. 457 00:24:54,760 --> 00:24:58,920 Speaker 3: It's helped grow it immensely. It's created a tremendous amount awareness. 458 00:24:59,480 --> 00:25:02,479 Speaker 3: It's shown people that what goes on in the sport, 459 00:25:02,960 --> 00:25:06,399 Speaker 3: especially off the track. I think people didn't understand that. 460 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:09,119 Speaker 3: I think are sport's unique in that aspect where you 461 00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:12,120 Speaker 3: watch the other majority of the sports, and it's it's 462 00:25:12,119 --> 00:25:16,800 Speaker 3: pretty much exclusively concentrated on the field of play, where 463 00:25:18,200 --> 00:25:21,800 Speaker 3: our sport off the field is every bit as fascinating 464 00:25:21,960 --> 00:25:24,360 Speaker 3: is on the track. And I think that's what Netflix 465 00:25:24,400 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 3: helped capture. 466 00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:28,320 Speaker 1: On the Constructors, I mean, some people were saying to you, 467 00:25:28,240 --> 00:25:29,919 Speaker 1: you know you got this in the bag, Zac, but 468 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:34,359 Speaker 1: you didn't. You didn't agree with them, And indeed, I 469 00:25:34,400 --> 00:25:35,960 Speaker 1: mean that that couldn't have been. 470 00:25:36,760 --> 00:25:40,080 Speaker 3: Been closer, couldn't have been Yeah, Atlando not one. We 471 00:25:40,160 --> 00:25:43,000 Speaker 3: went in one of the constructors, so we never felt 472 00:25:43,040 --> 00:25:44,440 Speaker 3: we had it in the bag. And you can see 473 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:47,680 Speaker 3: how quickly this sport moves. We thought Red Bull would 474 00:25:47,680 --> 00:25:50,440 Speaker 3: win every race based on the start of the year, 475 00:25:50,480 --> 00:25:53,399 Speaker 3: and then they finished third in the championship. So I 476 00:25:53,440 --> 00:25:56,200 Speaker 3: think we're too experienced and been around the block too 477 00:25:56,280 --> 00:25:59,560 Speaker 3: much to fall for thinking you have anything in the 478 00:25:59,560 --> 00:26:02,160 Speaker 3: bag and the sport, I mean, ultimately we came down 479 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:06,159 Speaker 3: to maybe seven tenths. You know, you have the DRS, 480 00:26:06,680 --> 00:26:08,960 Speaker 3: which if you're within a second, which is pretty hard 481 00:26:09,000 --> 00:26:14,120 Speaker 3: to defend, especially around Abu Dhabi, and Lando had a 482 00:26:14,240 --> 00:26:16,600 Speaker 3: very small lead over Carlos signs he comes in in 483 00:26:16,640 --> 00:26:19,480 Speaker 3: the Ferrari does a two point two second pit stop, 484 00:26:20,200 --> 00:26:21,840 Speaker 3: so the pressure's on us and we do a two 485 00:26:21,880 --> 00:26:24,080 Speaker 3: second pit stop. Howd we done a two point seven 486 00:26:24,200 --> 00:26:26,439 Speaker 3: second pit stop, which is not a bad pit stop? 487 00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:28,000 Speaker 2: Then Lando comes. 488 00:26:27,880 --> 00:26:31,960 Speaker 3: Out, Carlos and his DRS probably bassism and then you 489 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:33,479 Speaker 3: don't know if Lando would have been able to get 490 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:34,120 Speaker 3: him back. 491 00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:37,280 Speaker 1: And did you have complete conviction in your team that 492 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:39,600 Speaker 1: in the clutch moment they'll pull it off. 493 00:26:39,800 --> 00:26:43,520 Speaker 3: Yeah, but you never know, driver can overshoot the pitch 494 00:26:43,560 --> 00:26:46,720 Speaker 3: you have a wheel gun failure. I mean it's two 495 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:49,479 Speaker 3: point seven second pit stops not a bad pit stop, 496 00:26:49,520 --> 00:26:51,920 Speaker 3: and had a lot of confidence, but yeah, of course 497 00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:54,560 Speaker 3: you've also got nerves very much at the same time. 498 00:26:55,359 --> 00:26:57,600 Speaker 1: So now it's a twenty twenty five season. How do 499 00:26:57,640 --> 00:26:59,879 Speaker 1: you describe McLaren stops the season? 500 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:01,440 Speaker 2: Almost perfect? 501 00:27:01,640 --> 00:27:04,080 Speaker 3: First and second in China and first and I think 502 00:27:04,080 --> 00:27:06,600 Speaker 3: it was ninth in Australia. But we're running first and 503 00:27:06,680 --> 00:27:08,760 Speaker 3: second quite a dominant performance. 504 00:27:08,840 --> 00:27:11,119 Speaker 2: But China was hard, hard work. 505 00:27:11,240 --> 00:27:15,440 Speaker 3: So Australia while the conditions were tricky and managing both 506 00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:18,760 Speaker 3: drivers when we came up on traffic, things of that nature, 507 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:20,160 Speaker 3: just racing smart. 508 00:27:20,880 --> 00:27:22,320 Speaker 2: But China we had to work hard. 509 00:27:22,400 --> 00:27:26,320 Speaker 3: Saturday wasn't a great day in the sense of landing 510 00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:29,080 Speaker 3: and have a great sprint race. Lewis Hamilton and the 511 00:27:29,080 --> 00:27:31,719 Speaker 3: Ferrari checked out, so I think we went into Sunday 512 00:27:31,720 --> 00:27:33,720 Speaker 3: thinking this is gonna be hard work and it definitely was. 513 00:27:34,560 --> 00:27:37,600 Speaker 1: And George Russell came out and said McLaren have the 514 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:40,720 Speaker 1: can't to win every single race this season. I was 515 00:27:40,760 --> 00:27:42,280 Speaker 1: struck by that comment. It's a strange comment for a 516 00:27:42,359 --> 00:27:44,600 Speaker 1: rival driver to say, that's. 517 00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:47,359 Speaker 2: Part of the head games and the politics that go on. 518 00:27:47,480 --> 00:27:50,720 Speaker 3: That's a way to put pressure on the team kind 519 00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:52,440 Speaker 3: of if you don't win all twenty four then you've 520 00:27:52,440 --> 00:27:56,359 Speaker 3: done something wrong and it's a disaster. So that's nothing 521 00:27:56,400 --> 00:27:58,959 Speaker 3: more than some of the stuff we spoke about earlier, 522 00:27:59,040 --> 00:28:01,760 Speaker 3: where people put pressure on people in different ways to 523 00:28:01,880 --> 00:28:03,840 Speaker 3: try and to stabilize it them. So coming out with 524 00:28:04,720 --> 00:28:06,800 Speaker 3: what appears to be a nice compliment is actually a 525 00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:08,440 Speaker 3: way to apply pressure. 526 00:28:09,400 --> 00:28:10,520 Speaker 1: But nonetheless, you may be right. 527 00:28:11,640 --> 00:28:14,560 Speaker 2: I don't actue've we won't win twenty four races this year. 528 00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:19,480 Speaker 1: The performance the car is obviously extraordinary. There was a 529 00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:23,040 Speaker 1: headline Athletic a couple of days ago McLaren's perfect F 530 00:28:23,119 --> 00:28:26,680 Speaker 1: one problem dual title contenders and a fast car difficult 531 00:28:26,680 --> 00:28:29,520 Speaker 1: to tame. But I guess the premise was, you're an 532 00:28:29,560 --> 00:28:31,600 Speaker 1: amazing position. We have two drivers who you know who 533 00:28:31,600 --> 00:28:35,119 Speaker 1: could win. What this idea that the car is fast 534 00:28:35,160 --> 00:28:36,680 Speaker 1: but difficult to tame? What does that mean? 535 00:28:37,720 --> 00:28:39,880 Speaker 3: You know, anytime you get a car on the limit, 536 00:28:39,960 --> 00:28:42,040 Speaker 3: it's going to eventually do something that. 537 00:28:43,840 --> 00:28:45,240 Speaker 2: You know exceeds its limit. 538 00:28:45,280 --> 00:28:47,280 Speaker 3: To the perfect race car, you can still get it 539 00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:50,160 Speaker 3: to be tricky to drive when you try and go 540 00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:53,200 Speaker 3: eleven tenths. So I think the drivers you know, over 541 00:28:53,360 --> 00:28:58,240 Speaker 3: over one lap to extract maximum performance out of the car, 542 00:28:58,400 --> 00:29:00,760 Speaker 3: it can be a bit tricky, a bit on edge, 543 00:29:00,840 --> 00:29:03,160 Speaker 3: but that's what race cars do and they're. 544 00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:03,760 Speaker 2: On the limit. 545 00:29:04,200 --> 00:29:06,520 Speaker 1: So this is this is another flavor of what you 546 00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:10,479 Speaker 1: described earlier with the one key low on the correct 547 00:29:10,560 --> 00:29:13,520 Speaker 1: You're always looking for these fine margins and if you 548 00:29:13,560 --> 00:29:16,240 Speaker 1: get wrong, you can destabilize you. It can be too 549 00:29:16,280 --> 00:29:18,280 Speaker 1: hard to drive, it can be and breach the regulation. 550 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:22,040 Speaker 1: So it's that constant. So that must be very anxiety 551 00:29:22,080 --> 00:29:23,640 Speaker 1: And do you see it. 552 00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:26,240 Speaker 2: Is it's a stressful, stressful being on pitwall. 553 00:29:26,560 --> 00:29:27,320 Speaker 1: How do you deal with that? 554 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:32,040 Speaker 2: Just stay calm. It's nice to being on pitwall next 555 00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:32,520 Speaker 2: to Andrea. 556 00:29:32,880 --> 00:29:36,920 Speaker 3: He's very calm and not lett any emotion run in 557 00:29:36,960 --> 00:29:40,760 Speaker 3: to your decision making process. Passion, I think is very important. 558 00:29:40,880 --> 00:29:43,240 Speaker 3: I think there's a fine line between passion and emotion. 559 00:29:43,680 --> 00:29:46,960 Speaker 3: But emotion gets you to make emotional decisions, which is 560 00:29:47,000 --> 00:29:48,680 Speaker 3: not the most productive way to go racing. 561 00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:50,960 Speaker 1: And how are you going to manage the challenge of 562 00:29:51,080 --> 00:29:53,160 Speaker 1: having two such driver? 563 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:55,600 Speaker 2: Keep doing what we're doing. They get along great. 564 00:29:55,680 --> 00:29:58,960 Speaker 3: I think everyone's encouraging all of us that we're going 565 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:00,520 Speaker 3: to have some drama ahead of us, so we very 566 00:30:00,520 --> 00:30:04,720 Speaker 3: well might, but we haven't yet great communication with the drivers. 567 00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:07,760 Speaker 3: They know the rules of the road, they're free to race. 568 00:30:08,360 --> 00:30:11,840 Speaker 3: They just need to race each other respectfully. And I 569 00:30:11,840 --> 00:30:14,520 Speaker 3: think everyone else is waiting for the bomb. 570 00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:16,800 Speaker 2: To go off, but we're not. We're quite happy. 571 00:30:16,800 --> 00:30:18,760 Speaker 3: And they have both drivers signed up long term, so 572 00:30:18,800 --> 00:30:21,160 Speaker 3: they know they're going to be teammates for a long time. 573 00:30:21,200 --> 00:30:22,880 Speaker 2: They get along really, really well. 574 00:30:22,920 --> 00:30:24,480 Speaker 3: Of course they want to beat each other, but I 575 00:30:24,480 --> 00:30:26,080 Speaker 3: think you can race fairly and squarely. 576 00:30:26,720 --> 00:30:28,440 Speaker 1: Of course you're good friends Over at Red Bull have 577 00:30:28,440 --> 00:30:32,320 Speaker 1: had another rookie starts this season. Is that something you 578 00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:35,160 Speaker 1: keep a close eye only more focus internally? I mean, 579 00:30:35,160 --> 00:30:38,000 Speaker 1: how much does how much time do you spend monitoring 580 00:30:38,080 --> 00:30:40,000 Speaker 1: the vicissitudes of the competition? 581 00:30:41,040 --> 00:30:42,600 Speaker 3: Decent amount, but at the end of the day, there's 582 00:30:42,720 --> 00:30:44,880 Speaker 3: not much you can do about it. So it's more 583 00:30:44,920 --> 00:30:48,959 Speaker 3: about observing and learning. But you can get obsessed with 584 00:30:49,000 --> 00:30:51,480 Speaker 3: your competitors and then you're spending more time on them 585 00:30:51,560 --> 00:30:52,920 Speaker 3: than yourselves. 586 00:30:53,880 --> 00:30:58,680 Speaker 1: Being here, you can't help but think about legacy. I mean, 587 00:30:58,680 --> 00:31:02,720 Speaker 1: it's just part of this building. And I'm wondering, do 588 00:31:02,800 --> 00:31:05,080 Speaker 1: you think about your legacy at McClaren what you would 589 00:31:05,080 --> 00:31:05,520 Speaker 1: like it to be. 590 00:31:06,080 --> 00:31:09,000 Speaker 3: No, No, I think there'll be a time and place 591 00:31:09,040 --> 00:31:11,680 Speaker 3: for that, But right now I'm very head down and 592 00:31:11,720 --> 00:31:14,200 Speaker 3: I feel like it's early early days. 593 00:31:14,560 --> 00:31:18,200 Speaker 2: Ah So now, don't really think about that, but I'm 594 00:31:18,240 --> 00:31:19,600 Speaker 2: sure there will at some point. 595 00:31:20,040 --> 00:31:22,640 Speaker 1: But this season, the game is clear. 596 00:31:22,840 --> 00:31:25,960 Speaker 2: One drivers and constructors. That's the that's the goal. 597 00:31:26,640 --> 00:31:41,239 Speaker 1: Zich Brown, thank you, thank you very much. That's it 598 00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:44,640 Speaker 1: for this week for tech Stuff. I'm as Voloshin. This 599 00:31:44,720 --> 00:31:49,280 Speaker 1: episode was produced by Eliza Dennis and Adriana Tapier. It 600 00:31:49,320 --> 00:31:52,840 Speaker 1: was executive produced by me, Karen Price and Kate Osborne 601 00:31:52,840 --> 00:31:57,240 Speaker 1: for Caneidis Cote and Katria Novel for iHeart Podcasts. The 602 00:31:57,360 --> 00:32:02,680 Speaker 1: engineer was Basil Oxtaby Murdoch wrote our theme song. Join 603 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:06,440 Speaker 1: us this Friday for tech Stuff's weekend tech Cara Price 604 00:32:06,480 --> 00:32:08,560 Speaker 1: and I will catch you up on the headlines and 605 00:32:08,680 --> 00:32:11,960 Speaker 1: chat with the Washington Posts Garrett da Vinc about the 606 00:32:12,000 --> 00:32:16,560 Speaker 1: current landscape in AI. Please rate, review, and reach out 607 00:32:16,560 --> 00:32:19,800 Speaker 1: to us at tech Stuff podcast at gmail dot com. 608 00:32:19,920 --> 00:32:21,080 Speaker 1: We look forward to hearing from you