P1racenews AI automatic summary:
The McLaren CEO has named his favourite at this early stage, but it is not the same team that caused a “pleasant surprise.”
McLaren CEO Zak Brown considers Mercedes as the Formula 1 title favorites based on the Barcelona shakedown test, but he is also keeping an eye on Red Bull. Despite Mercedes leading with its new W17 car, George Russell and Kimi Antonelli completed 502 laps, with Lewis Hamilton setting the fastest time. Brown acknowledges McLaren’s position among the top teams and Mercedes’ favoritism but highlights Red Bull’s strong performance with the new Red Bull Powertrains-Ford engine. Brown anticipates a more spread-out grid due to the new regulations, estimating a field spread of two to three seconds and emphasizing the need to refine rules for energy deployment. He appreciates Red Bull’s competitiveness and performance, despite preferring them to be less so.
