McLaren’s chief executive Zak Brown has once again voiced his long‑standing opposition to the growing trend of multi‑team ownership and close technical alliances within Formula 1, a stance that has gained renewed relevance following reports that Mercedes is evaluating a minority investment in Alpine. Brown has been an outspoken detractor of what he labels “A‑B teams” – scenarios where one outfit enjoys a privileged relationship with another, either through shared ownership, a technical partnership, or a combination of both. The practice is not new to the sport. Red Bull has owned two separate entries since 2005, Ferrari maintains a long‑standing technical tie‑up with Haas, and the latest buzz suggests Mercedes could acquire a 24 percent stake in Alpine that is currently held by the U.S.
investment vehicle Otro Capital. Alpine’s majority shareholder is the Renault Group, and the team’s executive advisor, Flavio Briatore, has remarked that in a typical corporate structure the majority holder (around 75 percent) makes the decisions while the minority partner (the remaining 25 percent) is essentially a passive passenger.
This description mirrors the concerns Brown raises about the potential for minority stakes to influence sporting outcomes without being fully accountable. While such ownership structures are permitted under the current FIA regulations, Brown – whose McLaren cars run on Mercedes power units – insists that his objection applies universally, regardless of which manufacturers or investors are involved.
He told Sky Sports News, “I’ve been saying for a decade that I don’t like co‑ownership, I don’t like A‑B teams. It poses a high risk of compromising the sporting integrity of the sport.” Brown illustrated his point with recent on‑track incidents. He cited the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, where Daniel Ricciardo, driving for the Racing Bulls (formerly AlphaTauri), took a point away from McLaren in a way that helped Max Verstappen and Red Bull.
He also highlighted the transfer of intellectual property and staff between teams, noting that personnel can move overnight and remain eligible to work for a rival until 2028, giving the receiving team a cost‑cap advantage because they acquire expertise without a direct financial outlay. At a McLaren media day, Brown drew a parallel with football, asking, “Can you imagine a Premier League season where two clubs are owned by the same group? One club could survive relegation while the other can afford to lose. That’s the risk we face in F1.” He argued that the only acceptable relationship should be a customer‑supplier link for power units, and that each of the eleven teams should strive for maximum independence.
He added that he raised these concerns during the latest round of Concorde Agreement negotiations, stating, “I think it’s being managed now, but we’ve seen incidents in the past and we need to eliminate them, not expand them.” Brown acknowledged the positive impact Red Bull has had on the sport over the past two decades, especially after taking over the struggling Minardi team in 2005 to create a second entry. However, he warned that replicating that model could be detrimental if not tightly regulated.
Brown also mentioned his conversations with Laurent Mekies, Red Bull’s team principal, noting that Mekies has been transparent about the challenges of running two teams and is open to dialogue when concerns arise. “I’m glad to see the Racing Bulls and Red Bull don’t look like the same race car,” Brown said, emphasizing the importance of distinct identities for each team. Regarding the Concorde Agreement, Brown recalled discussions about whether one of the dual‑owned teams should eventually be divested.
He reiterated his appreciation for Red Bull’s contributions but cautioned that further expansion of multi‑team ownership would be a mistake for the sport. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, when asked about the Alpine stake, clarified that the German manufacturer does not intend to turn Alpine into a junior team for its works outfit.
Instead, Wolff said Mercedes is simply assessing the merits of a minority investment and has not reached a decision. “We are looking at it from different angles, and we haven’t come to any conclusions,” he said. A consortium that includes former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has also been reported as an interested party in the Alpine shareholding, adding another layer to the complex ownership landscape. As the Formula 1 calendar heads into its May weekend, the Miami Grand Prix – the second Sprint weekend of the season – will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming options available via NOW without a long‑term contract.
The ongoing debate over multi‑team ownership is likely to remain a hot topic as teams, regulators, and investors continue to navigate the fine line between collaboration and competition in the sport’s evolving business model.