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Episode details

Radio 4,31 Jul 2025,17 mins

Decisions That Made Me: Zak Brown (McLaren Racing, CEO)

The Bottom Line

Available for over a year

Zak Brown didn’t graduate high school – he was thrown out for fighting - but he loved sport. He watched his first Formula 1 race when he was 10, and became captivated by the cars, sound and speed. An appearance on a teen version of Wheel of Fortune, aged 13, won him some Cartier watches that he would later pawn for $1000, using the money to buy a go-kart and launch his racing career. But when it became clear he wouldn’t reach the heights he hoped for, he had a big decision to make. He tells Evan Davis about his path to becoming boss of one of the biggest names in motorsport. Production team: Producer: Osman Iqbal Series producer: Simon Tulett Editor: Matt Willis Sound: Gareth Jones and Pete Wise Production co-ordinator: Katie Morrison

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