While Jos Verstappen believes the Hungarian GP will serve as an F1 2024 “regret” for McLaren, Zak Brown actually named it as their second highlight of the season.

The first of course was their Constructors’ Championship triumph with McLaren returning to the top of the pile for the first time since 1998, the Woking squad seeing off Ferrari by 14 points to seal the crown.

Hungarian GP a McLaren highlight, not regret

For a time, McLaren also sensed a shot at both titles as Lando Norris set about chasing down Red Bull’s Max Verstappen, though a sensational drive to victory from Verstappen in Brazil effectively ended Norris’ hopes, while Verstappen made the end of the title race official at the next round in Las Vegas, securing his fourth World Championship in as many seasons.

And Max’s father Jos suggested the Hungarian GP would serve as a major “regret” for McLaren, with Norris giving up points at that round after reluctantly agreeing to concede the win to team-mate Oscar Piastri, McLaren having repeatedly urged Norris to let Piastri back through after undercutting the Aussie at the final round of pit-stops.

“They must have regretted that later,” Jos said of McLaren’s Budapest team orders when speaking to Formule 1.

“But it’s hard to say anything about that, because you don’t know what’s going on in that team, what contracts are like and what agreements were made.

“But if I translate it to Max, I think he would have had trouble letting his team-mate pass. But everyone is different and has to react in the way that suits them.”

However, when McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown was asked by Sky F1 to pick another F1 2024 highlight aside from their Constructors’ title win, he quickly settled on Hungary, assuring that McLaren looked back at that race positively after scoring a one-two result.

The only part of that race which Brown would change is Norris having taken his time in accepting the demand to yield to Piastri.

“I think actually Hungary, because even though Hungary was a bit exciting, it was a very dominant McLaren performance,” said Brown.

“So I’ve got to look at Hungary as one where, you know, McLaren running one-two, that would be it. Without the drama.”

How the F1 2025 grid is looking

???? F1 2025 driver line-up: Who is confirmed for the 2025 grid?

???? F1 driver contracts: What is the contract status of every driver on the F1 2025 grid?

McLaren has embarked on a remarkable rise under the leadership of Andrea Stella who stepped up to the team principal role in time for the 2023 season, McLaren going from one of F1’s slowest teams at that point to its 2024 champion.

And Brown would heap praise on the Italian for the impact he has made.

“Andrea Stella, he’s done such a good job of leading this team,” Brown declared.

“He’s just an unbelievable leader. He leads by example. He empowers people. He’s very technical, and he pushes everyone to get the best out of them.”

Read next: Verstappen’s ‘full McLaren report’ quip after axed F1 star’s surprise test