Nigel Mansell, 1992 Formula 1 world champion, warned that the current co-ownership models of teams in the category represent a “dangerous path to follow”. The topic gained traction after criticism from Zak Brown, McLaren CEO, who questioned the existing arrangements, in addition to speculation about Mercedes’ interest in acquiring a minority stake in Alpine.
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In an interview, Mansell stated: “I’m not so sure about multiple team ownership. It’s a dangerous path to follow.” He added: “Being associated with or owning more than you need to own, monopoly comes into play.”
The former Williams driver also lamented the disappearance of independent teams in the sport. “I think this is probably the most dynamic question you can ask right now, because if we look back, obviously, over the years, we’ve had incredible entrepreneurs and people who owned teams. I will never forget the late Colin Chapman, who was a fantastic innovator, designer, and engineer,” he said.
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According to Mansell, the current high cost prevents new competitors from entering. “Now, it’s crystallized in the fact that, unless you have hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of millions of pounds to spend, you can’t compete. It’s a somewhat closed circle,” he stated. He also highlighted possible competitive advantages of these models. “How do you compete with them? And when they have second-tier teams, or are involved there too, that has to be an advantage,” he said.
Mansell advocated for a more independent grid, suggesting: “It would be good to have 13 teams again, 26 cars, all independent of each other, unless you’re leasing the engine or something like that.”
