Stephen Smith profiles the former racing driver and marketing guru who's turned around McLaren's fortunes and led them to Formula 1 glory. Born in California in 1971, friends and colleagues paint a picture of a fiercely competitive man with ‘noble intentions’.

After dropping out of high school Zak Brown’s life changed after meeting former F1 world champion Mario Andretti when he was 15. He traded watches he’d won on the Wheel of Fortune game show to buy a go-kart.

Brown won races as a driver but never really hit the big time. He then set up the world’s most successful motorsports marketing company before being lured to the F1 grid by McLaren in 2016. The team were in dire straits and in serious need of a cash injection. In less than 10 years, Brown has completely turned around the team’s fortunes and led them to back-to-back constructors’ championships. But will his refusal to favour one of his two drivers cost both of them the drivers’ championship?

Contributors:
Mackenzie Astin - childhood friend
Mario Andretti - former F1 champion
Will Buxton - former F1 commentator, journalist, broadcaster
Ben Hunt - motorsport journalist and author of Forever Forward
Lawrence Baretto - F1 commentator

Presenter: Stephen Smith
Producers: Mhairi Mackenzie, Ben Crighton
Production Coordinator: Maria Ogundele
Sound: James Beard

Archive:
The Bottom LIne, BBC
5LIve
Wheel of Fortune - CBS
Sky Sport