Zak Brown rips into F1 system amid growing team alliances
Photo: Race Pictures
19:01, 23 Apr
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Samson Ero is a Formula 1 editor at GPblog with seven years of experience in sports media. He covers key developments across the paddock, delivering accurate reporting and insight on drivers, teams, and performance trends, with work published on recognised platforms including Tuko and Legit.ng.
Zak Brown has once again reiterated his opposition to what he describes as an A/B team structure in Formula 1, amid recent reports linking Mercedes with the potential purchase of shares in Alpine.
The McLaren CEO, speaking to GPblog, warned that Formula 1 risks undermining its sporting integrity as collaboration and cross-ownership between teams continues to grow.
Reports have suggested that Mercedes are among the parties interested in acquiring the 24 per cent stake in Alpine currently held by Otro Capital, a US investment firm. While such arrangements are permitted in Formula 1, and despite Alpine executive advisor Flavio Briatore playing down the extent of influence the German manufacturer would have in any such deal, Brown has once again voiced his concerns.
Reiterating his stance, the 54-year-old stressed the need for the sport to move away from such structures.
“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.”
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The 54-year-old, reinforcing his point, noted how such developments and growing collaboration risk the integrity of the sport.
“But in today's day and age, that's permitted in almost, if not all, major forms of sport. I think it runs a real high risk of compromising the integrity of sporting fairness, which is coming back to the earlier question: what would turn fans off is if they don't feel like there are 11 independent racing teams? I've been vocal about it from day one. We've seen it play out on track in a sporting way. Daniel Ricciardo taking a fastest lap point away from us to help the other team. We've seen IP violations in the Aston Martin/Racing Point brake ducts.”
Zak Brown - Photo: Race Pictures
Brown also highlighted how such collaboration can translate into sporting and financial imbalance.
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“We've seen employees move overnight where we either have to wait and sometimes make financial deals, which then impacts us in the cost cap. So when you see other teams move from one to the other and then also without financial compensation, that's an unfair financial advantage, that's an unfair sporting advantage. We've seen Ferrari and Haas move people back and forth. We know IP is a lot in your head. So when you put that all together, can you imagine a Premier League game where you've got two teams owned by the same group? One's going to get relegated if they lose. The other can afford to lose, and that's what we run the risk of.”
Drawing a clear line on what he believes the structure of the sport should look like, Brown concluded:
“I think having engine power units as suppliers is as far as it should go, and then in my view, all 11 teams should be absolutely as independent as possible because I think it has a high risk, and we have seen it compromise the integrity of the sport. And that will be what turns fans off quicker than anything else.”
Currently on the grid, Red Bull Racing operate with their sister outfit Racing Bulls, while Scuderia Ferrari share a technical partnership with Haas.
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Talks surrounding a takeover or purchase of shares in the Alpine outfit have continued to dominate the paddock, with former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner among the candidates linked with the Enstone-based team.
Brown speaks on Horner’s return
Earlier, Brown also detailed his thoughts on the possibility of Horner returning to Formula 1. The McLaren CEO admitted he would not be surprised by a return of the former Red Bull chief.
However, Brown offered a witty remark, saying he would prefer to have 10 weak team bosses rather than rekindle his rivalry with Horner.
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