McLaren Racing Formula 1 drivers Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri crossed the finish line at the Singapore Grand Prix on Sunday in third and fourth place respectively, cementing the team’s second consecutive Constructors’ Championship in the sport.
Born in Los Angeles, Brown was a high school dropout with aspirations only for a career in baseball, which fizzled alongside his formal education.
With an interest in F1 piqued after his family attended a race in 1981 and a family connection in motorsports, Brown used his newfound earnings to begin his racing career.
“I went and turned around and sold those watches in a pawn shop, bought a go-kart. And that’s how my racing career began,” Brown said. “It wasn’t part of any sort of master plan. It’s just how it all unfolded. So probably safe to say I’m the only person in racing that has a résumé that starts with Wheel of Fortune.”
When Brown joined McLaren about a decade ago, the company was in need of Brown’s business sensibilities. The team initially attributed some of its on-track struggles to a power unit problem, but when it switched engine manufacturers, problems persisted.
On top of juggling internal politics of company leadership, Brown was also contending with financial woes. At the end of 2020, following a pandemic-stricken F1 season, McLaren sold part of its team to MSP Sports Capital, an American sports investment group.
“I needed to protect the team from them being aware so everyone could remain in the very positive, energetic spirits they were bringing because the team was progressing nicely,” he continued. “It wasn’t a comfortable place at all.”
“We win and lose together. We back each other up, and we don’t blame each other,” Brown told Fortune. “Mistakes happen, and we learn from them.”
