Zak Brown pins McLaren's 2024 F1 title hopes on Sergio Perez's form

Brown, who has overseen McLaren's resurgence, argues that if Perez could regain his early-season form, the battle between McLaren and Red Bull would be fierce.

However, if Perez continued his struggles, Brown feels confident that McLaren has a solid chance to dethrone the reigning champions.

The 52-year-old American pointed to Perez's recent struggles, which nearly cost the Mexican driver his seat during the summer break. Perez has been under pressure, with rumours swirling about his potential replacement by either Daniel Ricciardo or Liam Lawson.

Over the last nine races, Perez's inconsistent performances has allowed McLaren to close the gap to Red Bull in the constructors' standings, reducing the deficit from 115 points to just 42. This shift in momentum has put McLaren in a position to challenge for their first championship since 2008.

"It's going to be tough," Brown acknowledged in an interview with BBC Sport. Looking ahead to the final ten races of the season, he noted, "I think it's going to come down to the last race. There's not much between the cars. It's going to come down to how Sergio Perez performs.

"If he can perform as he's capable of performing, it's going to be a hard fight. If he continues to perform as he has this year, we have a pretty good chance because we have two drivers constantly performing at the front."

Red Bull started the 2024 F1 season in the same dominant fashion that saw them cruise to both titles last year, winning all but one of the opening rounds. Despite this strong start, the team from Milton Keynes has found themselves in a tight contest with McLaren.

While Max Verstappen's position in the drivers' standings appears secure, McLaren's relentless development, especially after introducing significant upgrades at the Miami Grand Prix, has brought them to the forefront of the constructors' battle. Lando Norris, benefiting from these updates, claimed his first Formula 1 victory, further boosting the team's confidence.

Reflecting on McLaren's unexpected progress, Brown admitted, "If I were to sit here and say I'm not surprised, that would be disingenuous. Red Bull had such an advantage over everyone, and Mercedes has been so dominant.

"I thought we might get where we are now by 2025. I didn't think we would be where we are now in 2024. But I'm not complaining."

As the season prepares to resume after the summer break, set to end on 23 August, the focus remaines on whether Perez can find his form and how McLaren's challenge will unfold in the final rounds.