Zak Brown, the chief executive of McLaren, has reiterated his criticism of the close relationships between certain teams in Formula 1, citing concerns over the sport's integrity. His comments come as Mercedes considers purchasing a minority stake in the Alpine team. Brown has long been opposed to what he terms 'A-B teams', where one team has a significant ownership or technical partnership with another.
He believes such arrangements can compromise the sport's integrity and create an uneven playing field. Brown's views have been echoed in the context of Red Bull's ownership of two teams, Ferrari's technical partnership with Haas, and Mercedes' potential investment in Alpine. The McLaren CEO argues that cross-team ties should be limited to customer power-unit supply, citing examples of how closer relationships can lead to conflicts of interest and unfair advantages. Brown's concerns have been raised during discussions over the Concorde Agreement, with the McLaren CEO advocating for greater independence among teams.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has stated that the team is not seeking to create a junior team in Alpine but is exploring the possibility of a minority investment. Other interested parties, including a consortium involving Christian Horner, are also considering purchasing shares in Alpine.