The McLaren boss reopens the debate on “A/B” teams in Formula 1. According to him, this model directly threatens the sporting fairness of the championship.
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McLaren CEO Zak Brown has never hidden his opposition to multi-team structures in Formula 1. And he has once again taken a stand, clearly targeting the model embodied by Red Bull GmbH.
The Austrian group indeed owns two teams on the grid, a situation Brown deems problematic. This organization, inherited from the acquisition of Minardi in 2005 (now Racing Bulls), continues, in his opinion, to raise questions of fairness.
“I think A/B teams, we need to move away from them as much as possible, and as quickly as possible,” he asserts, faithful to a position he has defended for over a decade.
Recent examples that raise questions
Brown’s criticisms are based on several concrete situations observed in recent seasons. He notably mentions rapid personnel transfers between linked teams, as well as certain on-track decisions that could be influenced by these relationships.
“We’ve seen personnel movements happen almost overnight, whereas we sometimes have to wait or even pay, which impacts our budget cap,” he explains.
He also cites controversial cases such as intellectual property exchanges or strategic race decisions.
“This creates an unfair financial and sporting advantage,” he believes, pointing to a structural imbalance between totally independent teams and those linked by the same group.
The example of football to warn
To illustrate his point, Brown does not hesitate to draw a parallel with football, another sport where multi-ownership models regularly spark debates.
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“Imagine a Premier League match between two teams belonging to the same group. One is playing for survival, the other can afford to lose… that’s exactly the risk we’re taking,” he explains.
A scenario which, according to him, could harm the credibility of the competition if fans were to doubt the real independence of the teams on track.
A threat to the future of the championship
Beyond specific cases, Zak Brown insists on a fundamental point: public perception. For him, Formula 1 must imperatively guarantee total independence between its teams to preserve its legitimacy.
“What could turn fans away is if they don’t feel there are 11 totally independent teams,” he warns.
He acknowledges that certain forms of collaboration, such as engine partnerships, are inevitable. But he believes that this must remain the limit not to be exceeded.
“In my eyes, engine manufacturers must be the only form of link between teams. Everything else must be totally independent,” he concludes.
A debate far from over
This new stance reopens a deep debate within Formula 1. Between economic logic, competitiveness, and sporting fairness, the issue of linked teams remains sensitive.
As the discipline continues to evolve, pressure could intensify on the FIA to clarify its position. Because for some stakeholders like Zak Brown, the stakes far exceed the technical framework: it directly affects the very integrity of the sport.
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