Brown highlights McLaren weakness despite F1 title chase

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has acknowledged that his team is still "not perfect", despite being on a 10-race podium streak. 

The Woking-based outfit enjoyed a tremendous first half of the F1 season and sit second in the constructors' championship, just 42 points behind Red Bull. 

Many, including former Haas team principal Guenther Steiner, believe McLaren will actually beat Red Bull to the title, with both Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri being in strong form. 

The pairing has a victory each to their names this year, although Brown recognises how it can change quickly with McLaren, Red Bull, Mercedes and Ferrari being similarly paced. 

"It's certainly a nice feeling," Brown told Sky Sports. "Drivers, team, everyone's done a wonderful job to be 10 podiums in a row. It's pretty awesome.

"To be competing for the drivers' and the constructors' world championships is a pretty cool place in the summer break. 

"So a lot of work yet to do, it's not going to be easy because it looks like the top four teams are all... one day it's first, one day it's fourth, one day it's second and one day it's third. 

"So it's going to be an exciting second part of the year. But I'm very happy with everything that's been accomplished here at McLaren."

McLaren still learning

Despite McLaren's remarkable U-turn in performance over the past 18 months, small errors have continued to be made. 

A notable recent error was failing to double-stack Norris and Piastri in Silverstone, with the latter's race having been ruined after having to complete a further lap on slick tyres in intensifying rain. 

When McLaren get it right, the outfit does appear to be the quickest on the grid, with Brown predicting that the second half of the season will be even stronger for the British team.

"10 podiums in a row isn't too bad, and currently sitting in second in the championship and both drivers having won but we're not perfect," added Brown. 

"We know we've made some errors over the course of the season and we're going to learn from those errors, and we're going to improve.

"But I think it's been a pretty awesome season so far, and it's only going to get better."