The McLaren boss Zak Brown did not mince words when commenting on the new landscape in Formula 1 following the departure of Christian Horner from Red Bull. The American executive, who has never hidden his rivalry with the former team principal of the Austrian squad, stated that Formula 1 “is in a better place” without him.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Zak Brown welcomed the appointment of Laurent Mekies as the new head of Red Bull, also revealing that he had a private meeting with the Frenchman after his promotion.
“I am happy that Laurent is in that role. I have known him for a long time and I like him. I think it will be positive and it will allow us to refocus on competition on the track. There will always be some politics, but I believe that with him it will be healthier.”
Brown admitted that his personal clash with Christian Horner had crossed the line, accusing the former rival of pushing things too far. “There is always politics in Formula 1 – like trying to eliminate flexible wings or similar issues – but when it comes to making frivolous accusations, it’s too much. Now I see a paddock where political clashes happen, but without crossing that line. Before, it was crossed.”
According to the McLaren chief executive, with Laurent Mekies there will be more harmony and respect in the relationships between teams, and greater trust in private conversations: “We will be more united and more confident that, while we fight on the track, we can discuss what is best for the sport off the track, without that being used as a political weapon or being distorted.”
The Ferrari – McLaren model
Zak Brown cited the example of the rivalry with Ferrari and team principal Frédéric Vasseur as a model of healthy competition:
“In Miami, Fred started joking about our victory, and from there we had a great rivalry. We want to beat each other, but we had fun and I think that was great for the sport. The public appreciated it too: the ‘bad guy drama’ works, but a celebratory and fun rivalry can be just as engaging.”
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