Zak Brown increased the pressure on the FIA by advocating for deep changes in Formula 1 rules involving ownership structures between teams. The McLaren CEO sent a letter to the entity’s president, Mohammed Ben Sulayem, requesting formal discussions to prevent future co-ownership situations and strategic alliances on the grid.
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The executive believes that this type of relationship poses a risk to the sporting integrity of the category. The discussion gained momentum recently after Mercedes showed interest in acquiring Otro Capital’s 24% stake in Alpine, a scenario that could further strengthen ties between the two teams.
According to information released by PlanetF1.com, Brown argued in the letter that shared ownership structures and political alliances can compromise sporting, technical, and financial aspects of Formula 1. The executive also advocated for mechanisms to limit relationships between teams considered ‘A/B’, as is currently the case with Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls.
The topic is not new to the McLaren executive, who has been publicly expressing concern about satellite teams in recent years. Recently, commenting on the possible rapprochement between Mercedes and Alpine, Brown stated: “This applies to anyone… A/B teams, co-ownership… regardless of who it is, I disapprove of it. I don’t think it’s healthy for the sport,” he said.
During the Chinese GP weekend, Flavio Briatore, Alpine’s director, confirmed negotiations between Otro Capital and Mercedes. If the agreement is concluded, Alpine would further strengthen its relationship with the German manufacturer, as the team started using Mercedes power units this season.
Brown also cited examples of possible conflicts of interest on the current grid. Among them, situations where drivers from aligned teams could directly interfere in competitors’ battles, as well as the facilitated movement of professionals between associated structures.
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The McLaren CEO again mentioned the 2024 Singapore GP, when Daniel Ricciardo, then at Racing Bulls, took away the fastest lap point from McLaren and benefited Max Verstappen and Red Bull Racing: “We saw intellectual property transfer from one team to another. We saw employees change teams practically overnight, while I would have to wait until 2028,” Brown told Sky Sports News.
He also compared the Formula 1 situation with European football: “Imagine a Premier League game with two teams belonging to the same group. One can be relegated if it loses. The other can afford to lose. That’s the risk we run,” he added.
Mercedes boss Toto Wolff denied any intention to turn Alpine into a Mercedes satellite team: “No, we don’t want a junior team,” he told the French newspaper L’Équipe.
Ben Sulayem admitted that the matter is being analyzed by the FIA: “Personally, I believe owning two teams is not the right path, but we are studying this because it is a complicated area,” concluded the entity’s president during the Miami GP weekend.
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