McLaren chief executive Zak Brown has once again voiced his long‑standing objections to the growing trend of multi‑team ownership and close technical alliances within Formula 1, a debate that has been reignited by recent reports that Mercedes may be considering a minority investment in the Alpine squad. Brown has been an outspoken opponent of what he labels "A‑B teams" – situations where one racing outfit enjoys a privileged relationship with another, either through shared ownership, a technical partnership, or an arrangement that effectively creates a hierarchy between the two. He argues that such structures threaten the competitive balance of the sport and undermine its sporting integrity.
The issue is not new. Since 2005 Red Bull has owned two teams, operating both the flagship Red Bull Racing and the junior outfit formerly known as Toro Rosso, now called Scuderia AlphaTauri. Ferrari maintains a long‑standing technical partnership with Haas, supplying engines and aerodynamic data.
Most recently, it emerged that Mercedes is among several parties interested in purchasing the 24 percent share of Alpine currently held by Otro Capital, a U.S. investment firm. The majority stake in Alpine remains with the Renault Group, while Flavio Briatore, the Enstone‑based team’s executive advisor, has remarked that in a typical corporate structure the majority shareholder (75 percent) makes the decisions while the minority partner (25 percent) is essentially a passenger. Although such ownership structures are permitted under the current regulations, Brown, whose McLaren cars run on Mercedes power units, insists that his concerns apply universally.
"I frown upon any form of cross‑team ownership, regardless of who is involved," he told Sky Sports News. He believes that the only acceptable link between teams should be the supplier‑customer relationship for engines, and nothing beyond that.
Brown’s comments highlighted several concrete examples that illustrate his worries. He recalled the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, where Daniel Ricciardo, driving for the Racing Bulls (formerly AlphaTauri), took a point away from McLaren, indirectly benefiting Max Verstappen and Red Bull. He also pointed to the rapid transfer of intellectual property and staff between teams, noting that personnel can move overnight, giving the receiving team a cost‑cap advantage because they acquire expertise without having to pay the full market price.
"We have seen IP transfer from one team to another. We've seen staff move from one team to another overnight where I have to wait until 2028. So they get a sporting advantage there, sometimes that comes with some remuneration – they're not going to have to write a cheque, so it's a cost‑cap advantage," Brown explained. To illustrate the potential danger, Brown offered a football analogy: "Imagine a Premier League season where two clubs are owned by the same consortium.
If one club gets relegated, the other can simply absorb the loss because it has deeper pockets. That's the risk we face in F1 if ownership becomes too intertwined." He stressed that the current model, where a team supplies power units to another, should be the limit of any relationship. "All eleven teams should be as independent as possible," he added. Brown said he raised these concerns during the latest round of Concorde Agreement negotiations, the contract that governs the sport’s commercial and regulatory framework.
He believes progress is being made but warns that past incidents demonstrate the need for stricter safeguards. "I think it's being managed now, but we've seen incidents in the past and we need to do away with it, not increase it," he said. While Brown acknowledges the significant contributions Red Bull has made to Formula 1 over the past two decades, he draws a line at replicating their ownership model.
Red Bull’s acquisition of the struggling Minardi team in 2005 to create a second outfit was a bold move that helped nurture young talent, but Brown argues that the sport should not encourage other entities to follow the same path. "I'm glad to see, quite frankly, that the Racing Bulls and the Red Bull don't look like the same race car," he observed, suggesting that at least on the surface the two teams maintain distinct identities. He also referenced conversations with Laurent Mekies, Red Bull’s team principal, noting that Mekies has been transparent about the challenges of owning two teams. "He's the only one who has two teams and he's been very open and transparent: 'If you see something you don't like, let's just chat about it.'" This, Brown says, indicates that Red Bull recognizes the potential pitfalls and is willing to engage in dialogue to avoid further controversy.
The Concorde Agreement discussions have even touched on the possibility of requiring one of the co‑owned teams to be divested over time, a measure that would help preserve competitive fairness. Brown reiterated his appreciation for Red Bull’s historical impact but warned that expanding the model would be a mistake for the sport’s future.
Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, when asked about the Alpine stake, clarified that the German outfit does not intend to turn Alpine into a junior team. Instead, Mercedes is simply evaluating whether a minority share would be beneficial for both parties. "We are looking at it from different angles, and we haven't come to any conclusions," Wolff said.
"We want to know whether it makes sense." In addition to Mercedes, a consortium that includes former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has also expressed interest in Alpine's shares, underscoring the growing appetite for multi‑team involvement among F1's elite. As the sport heads into the Miami Grand Prix weekend, the debate over ownership structures remains a hot topic. Fans and stakeholders will be watching closely to see how the governing bodies balance the commercial interests of major manufacturers with the need to keep the competition as level as possible. Brown’s outspoken stance serves as a reminder that, while investment is essential for the sport’s growth, preserving the independence of each team is crucial to maintaining the excitement and fairness that make Formula 1 unique.