Zak Brown launches new attack on Red Bull: 'We want to fight everyone equally'

McLaren is celebrating its 1000th Grand Prix this weekend in Monte Carlo. Alongside a special livery, the team’s CEO, Brown, has also written an open letter marking the occasion. However, the American once again reiterated his stance against Red Bull owning more than one team in the competition.

Brown wrote: "We do have one issue I’d like to address though, which I’m sure you’ve read about. Until not so long ago, for some teams to survive in our sport they had to rely on alliances and buy technology from each other, and that served its purpose at the time. But now that the sport is in tremendous health and we have great financial stability amongst the race teams, it is time to move to a state of true independence between teams."

He continued: "Other than when it comes to power units – which not everyone manufactures – teams should operate entirely independently to ensure total fairness. When it comes to technical, financial or governance related matters, alliances have the potential to cloud things. And at the end of the day, I think you, our fans, want to know that all 22 drivers are fighting each other equally as hard, and that the same rules apply to all 11 teams. Liberty and the FIA have done an outstanding job to grow our sport, we are thriving, so I am confident that this is an area we will now focus on and resolve."

Previously, Brown also wrote a letter to FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem on the same topic. Previously speaking to GPblog, among others, he also discussed this topic, also reflecting on Mercedes' previous attempt to acquire Otro Capital's shares in Alpine, although the German team has since pulled out of the negotiations.

"It hasn't changed at all. I think I've been consistent. It's just now the ninth season or my tenth season. I think A/B teams, we need to get away from as much as possible as quickly as possible. I think co-ownership, which we have in one group now, and I understand how that came about and why it came about," Brown then said.