Zak Brown goes on the offensive
Zak Brown delivered a notably assertive and outspoken message during a press conference held on Wednesday by McLaren, attended by media outlets that regularly follow Formula 1, including ScuderiaFans.com. The CEO of the reigning Constructors’ World Championship-winning team addressed a wide range of topics, but the issue that clearly sparked the strongest reaction was the increasingly controversial subject of so-called A-B teams on the grid and multi-team ownership structures.
These are situations in which teams that are officially competitors either share the same ownership group or, despite being run separately, engage in extensive exchanges of personnel, technical knowledge, and operational insights, effectively creating a form of cooperation that raises questions about competitive fairness.
The primary focus of Zak Brown’s criticism was, unsurprisingly, Red Bull, which has managed two teams for nearly two decades, namely its main outfit and Racing Bulls. “I think we should move away from having A and B teams as quickly as possible,” Brown stated firmly. “When it comes to multi-team ownership – currently there is only one group that has it – I understand how and why this situation came about. But in today’s environment, it is a practice that is not allowed in almost all major professional sports. I believe it carries a very high risk of compromising the integrity of fair competition.”
Red Bull in the spotlight, but not the only target
“This topic was heavily debated in the last Concorde Agreement,” the McLaren CEO continued. “Last year, I wrote to both the FIA and Formula 1 about this issue, because we continue to see situations like this and we report them. I think there is now greater awareness and increased scrutiny from the FIA. Frankly, I am pleased to see that Racing Bulls and Red Bull no longer appear to be identical cars. I believe I discussed this with Laurent. I do not have anything personal against him, but he is the only one operating two teams and he has been very open and transparent in saying: ‘If you see something you do not like, let’s talk about it.’ So I think they are aware and do not want to push beyond the limits.”
Brown also referenced discussions within the Concorde Agreement regarding the potential sale of one of the teams in the future, while acknowledging the historical contribution of Red Bull to Formula 1. “There is also significant appreciation for what they have done for the sport and how they did it many years ago. Therefore, while managing and monitoring the situation, I believe any further expansion of these multi-team ownership models would be a mistake for the sport.”
This statement also appears to send a clear signal toward ongoing discussions about a potential involvement of Mercedes as a shareholder in Alpine, a scenario that Zak Brown would evidently not welcome.
Criticism extends to Ferrari-Haas relationship
Zak Brown’s criticism was not limited to ownership structures involving a single group. He also turned his attention to close alliances between teams with separate ownership, and in this context Ferrari was also brought into focus due to its particularly strong collaboration with Haas.
“We have seen situations on track that clearly impact sporting results,” Zak Brown explained. “Daniel Ricciardo [when he was racing for Racing Bulls] took a fastest lap point away from us to help the other team [Red Bull]; we have seen intellectual property issues with Aston Martin/Racing Point regarding brake ducts; we have seen employees move from one team to another overnight, while we are required to wait before completing a hiring process and sometimes even reach financial agreements that then impact our cost cap. So when you see people moving between teams without any financial compensation, that represents an unfair advantage.”
He then directly addressed the Ferrari-Haas collaboration: “We have seen Ferrari and Haas exchanging personnel, and there is also the matter of intellectual property, which is extremely important. Can you imagine a Premier League match where two teams are owned by the same group, and one of them would be relegated if it loses while the other does not need to win that match? That is the risk.”
Zak Brown’s remarks highlight a growing concern within the Formula 1 paddock regarding the balance between collaboration and competition. As the sport continues to evolve under complex financial and technical regulations, the debate over ownership structures, shared resources, and competitive integrity appears set to remain a central topic in the ongoing political landscape of Formula 1.
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