The new season isn’t only set to be the longest in F1 history, filled with a record amount of 23 races, but it will also be the first one featuring a budget cap. Each team can not spend more than 145 million dollars per year, in an attempt to ensure more equality and hence make the field more competitive.

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown believes it will mark a significant change, reducing the gap between teams.

“The budget cap, we’ve had to reduce our spend a bit, but not to the same level as the other three (Mercedes, Ferrari and Red Bull) that were significantly outspending us.”  

“...it’s going to make the sport more competitive. While we now have the ability to now be a big team, because we’re running at the budget cap, it's also brought more competition from behind.” he told Motorsport.com. 

“You’ve got seven teams that I think are all playing with the same size bat, if you like, and I think that’s great. Not only do I think we have a better chance of getting first or second in the future, I think it’s a seven-car team race.”

Brown also shared his thoughts on other teams.

“AlphaTauri is very well funded. They kind of keep their head down, but I don’t think that team is short of resources. Clearly Lawrence Stroll is investing a lot of money in his team. You then have Renault, who I think is at our level.”

his hopes of seeing a wider range of teams stepping onto the highest platform of the podium

“I really don’t think you can write anybody off. But again, that’s good for the sport. I hope what we get to is more of an IndyCar-type championship, where your big teams are still the ones that win the championships at the end of the day, but other teams win races.”

And he wants a tighter battle for the title.

“It would be great if we went back to three or four race wins gets you the championship, not 14.”

In addition to the cost cap, the 2021 season  will also introduce, a revised governance structure under the new Concorde Agreement that distributes both revenue and political power more effectively. A Ahange that certainly pleased Brown. 

“The governance is better, it gives more power to Formula 1 and the FIA as opposed to the teams, because the teams with all the political power, with the previous governance, were able to better keep things shaped around their agenda. I think that gets neutralised.”

Taking everything into account, it seems that McLaren has much to gain from the new rules.

In the words of its CEO, “The new era of Formula 1 plays right into our sweet spot,” as "we now have a better shot to catch the guys in front of us, but we need to pay attention.”