Zak Brown, McLaren's chief executive, has reiterated his disapproval of Formula 1 teams having close relationships or shared ownership, following reports of Mercedes' potential investment in Alpine. Brown has long been a critic of what he terms 'A-B teams', where one team has a deeper connection with another through ownership or technical partnerships. With Red Bull owning two teams since 2005 and Ferrari having a technical partnership with Haas, Brown believes such arrangements compromise the sport's integrity.
He suggests that team ties should not extend beyond engine supply in the future, citing examples of fastest laps and staff transfers that have given some teams an unfair advantage. Brown's comments come as Mercedes considers buying a minority stake in Alpine, with team principal Toto Wolff stating that they are not looking to create a junior team but rather assessing the merits of a potential investment.