McLaren CEO to Take Historic Williams F1 Car for a Spin at Silverstone Circuit
McLaren CEO, Zak Brown, has made an exciting announcement! During the 2025 British Grand Prix weekend, he plans to take the legendary 1987 Williams FW11B Formula 1 car out for a spin on the Silverstone Circuit.
A Historic Car with a Rich Past
During a captivating tour of his impressive car collection and an interview with ESPN F1, Brown shared his plans while standing next to the historic vehicle. “I’ll take this out at the British Grand Prix this year,” he said, “and I think the fans are going to absolutely love it.
The car has been fully restored and is ready for action. However, fans might be a bit puzzled seeing Brown behind the wheel of a Williams instead of McLaren.
A Car with Legendary Connections
Speaking about the car’s history, Brown shared some fascinating insights. “So you’ll see a bit of a theme,” he said, “I’m a huge Formula 1 and IndyCar fan. So, of course, Emerson Fittipaldi – Formula 1 and IndyCar Champion. Mario [Andretti] – Formula 1 and IndyCar Champion. And, of course, as was Nigel Mansell.
This is the car that Mansell drove to win numerous races in 1987, a year he considered his favorite. “I’ve become good friends with Nigel,” Brown added, “and he spends a lot of time with Lando. This was, if you remember, the British Grand Prix where he led, had a tyre puncture, went out and broke the track record.
The car that Brown will be driving is none other than this very chassis.
Acquiring the Williams FW11B
Brown explained how he came to own this piece of racing history. “I got this when I did a sponsorship deal for Williams,” he said, “They asked, ‘What can we ever do for you?’ I replied, ‘You can sell me a car!’
The British Grand Prix weekend often features a demonstration run with historic F1 cars. Last year, former champion Jenson Button took the FW22 out on track during the F1 weekend at Silverstone. With Brown’s announcement, fans are eagerly awaiting another thrilling display of racing history in 2025!
