- Zak Brown has become one of the most influential figures in the world of F1
- Brown, who grew up in Los Angeles, appeared on Wheel of Fortune aged 13
Zak Brown has become a key figure in the world of F1 in recent years for his impressive work as McLaren Team Principal.
The 53-year-old, who is said to have a net worth of more than $100million (£78.9m), has transformed McLaren into Championship contenders since taking the reins in 2018, with the team winning the Constructors’ title in 2024.
He previously made his name in the industry by founding Just Marketing International, which became the largest motorsport marketing agency in the world.
Brown hails from Los Angeles and a resurfaced clip from his childhood has shown the 53-year-old appearing on iconic TV show Wheel of Fortune.
The show has similarities to pencil-and-paper game Hangman where contestants spin a colourful wheel in the hope of winning prizes.
And back in 1984, at the age of 13, Brown was one of these contestants on a Teen Week episode of the show.
McLaren Team Principal Zak Brown has become one of the most influential figures in F1
The American once appeared on iconic TV show Wheel of Fortune when he was just 13
Brown (right) won two watches during his appearance and sold them to buy his first go-kart
At the time F1 and motorsport was still a relatively new thing in his mind, with the now racing chief explaining to host Pat Sajak how he wanted to become a baseball player.
His appearance on the show came after an extensive testing and interview process that included hundreds of students from local schools yet Brown managed to make the final shortlist of 20, although only 15 contestants would be on the show.
‘They needed 15 people, but you can get disqualified if you talk to the audience or do something you shouldn’t,’ Brown told The Athletic in an interview in 2024.
‘So even though you now know you’re in the top 20 and you’re actually going to go to the recording, you don’t know if you were one of the 15 or one of the five subs.’
Brown, who was a lifelong fan of the show, made it and enjoyed a successful appearance across two rounds where he was able to win a fancy set of his and her watches.
He had planned to sell them and after a lengthy delay, Brown eventually took them took a pawn shop in LA, raking in £2,420 in the process.
With that cash, he bought his first go-kart, paid for kart racing school and loved it.
Reflecting on his thinking in that same interview, he added: ‘They show this big whiteboard, and everything’s listed in the order of cost, and they would knock out what you can’t afford.
At the time of his appearance, Brown revealed that he wanted to become a baseball player
Brown’s road to stardom in the sport began thanks to that appearance on Wheel of Fortune
‘And so, as most 13-year-olds, the first thing you do is look at the board and just go, what’s the most expensive thing I can afford? It had to be watches.’
After getting involved in karting, Brown became obsessed with motorsport and enjoyed some success on the track in the late 1980s and into the 90s.
He moved to Europe and began racing professionally in several series including German Formula Three, the FIA GT Championship and British Formula 3.
But, Brown gave up his childhood dream of becoming an F1 driver in 2000 and focused on his business.
He has since become a figurehead within the world of motorsport, also co-founding United Autosports in 2009.
Brown joined McLaren as executive director of their Technology Group in 2016, before he became CEO in 2018 – and given all he has achieved, it is fascinating to reflect that it began thanks to Wheel of Fortune.
