Brown demands transparency from Red Bull and the FIA: 'Very serious situations'

Zak Brown reiterated at the press conference in Australia that he wants transparency on several issues. The McLaren CEO believes the investigations into Christian Horner and Mohammed Ben Sulayem have been totally non-transparent so far.

Christian Horner and Mohammed Ben Sulayem have both been cleared, but not everyone is happy with how these cases have been handled. Many questions surround Horner's investigation, but there are also question marks about the FIA's investigation committee. Especially when that investigation committee investigates their own president and clears him without further explanation.

"All the items that have come to light here in recent times are very serious situations. We're living in 2024, not 1984, which means total transparency. The three situations are different, but all very serious. We need to make sure that things are done in a transparent, truly independent manner. I think everyone should welcome transparency," Brown stated in Melbourne.

Why Brown wants answers

"Until all the unanswered questions are answered, people will continue to ask questions so I don't think it's a great situation that we're in. We're three races into the calendar, and we're still talking about these issues. But there's not been the level of transparency. We need to make sure that everyone has an equal opportunity to speak up. We kind of know what you [media] know as far as what we read, and there's appeals etc. So I think it's important that the FIA, as our governing body, address this swiftly and transparently and come to the right conclusions, whatever those may be."

Brown is missing that openness. "I think we just need to have confidence that the FIA has various statutes as far as how we conduct ourselves, and that they're looking into matters when there's a whistleblower situation or someone brings forward an issue."

"Are all sides being heard equally? And then when conclusions are brought forward, what was the process and the conclusion? I don't think, given confidentiality and these various natures, that we're necessarily entitled to know all the details. I just think we need to have the confidence that when someone brings forward an issue we know it's been looked into. It's been looked into independently, and all parties have been heard. I think we should all welcome that."

What the FIA and Red Bull need to do

Brown argues that the FIA has not informed the teams: "Nothing was explained to us before or after. I know what I’ve read and what all of you have written."

Brown knows he will not have all the details and agrees with his colleagues that there is a difference between curiosity and transparency. Therefore, Brown suggests that the FIA gain more insight into the investigation into Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

"Maybe a summary report would help us all understand a little bit more of what the concerns were and ultimately that there were no findings if you'd like. That would give us a little bit more insight," the McLaren CEO concluded.