McLaren chief executive Zak Brown has once again voiced his long‑standing opposition to the practice of multi‑team ownership and close technical alliances within Formula One, a stance that has gained fresh relevance after reports that Mercedes is evaluating a minority investment in Alpine. Brown has consistently warned against what he labels "A‑B teams" – scenarios where one outfit enjoys a deeper, often hidden, relationship with another, either through shared ownership structures or extensive technical collaborations.
The issue is not new to the sport. Red Bull has owned two separate entries since 2005, initially taking over the struggling Minardi team and rebranding it as Scuderia Toro Rosso, later renamed AlphaTauri.
Ferrari maintains a long‑standing technical partnership with Haas, providing the American team with power units and engineering support. 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. Alpine’s majority owner is 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 arrangements are permitted under the current regulations, Brown – whose own McLaren cars run on Mercedes power units – insists that his objections apply universally. "Regardless of who is involved, I frown upon it," he told Sky Sports News. He believes that any relationship between teams should be limited to the supply of customer power units and nothing more.
Brown elaborated: "I've been saying for ten years I don't like co‑ownership, I don't like A‑B teams. I think it runs a high risk of compromising the sporting integrity of the sport." He cited specific incidents that illustrate his concerns.
At the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, for example, Daniel Ricciardo, driving for the Racing Bulls (formerly AlphaTauri), took a point away from McLaren, indirectly benefiting Max Verstappen and Red Bull. "We've seen fastest laps from one team, IP transfer from one team to another, and staff moving overnight between teams," Brown said, noting that such moves can give a competitive edge without any direct financial outlay, effectively exploiting the cost cap. During a McLaren media day, Brown drew an analogy with football: "Can you imagine a Premier League season where two clubs are owned by the same group?
One club could survive relegation while the other could afford to lose. That's the risk we face in F1." He argued that the only acceptable level of collaboration is the provision of engines, after which each of the eleven teams should operate as independently as possible. Brown also highlighted that his concerns have been raised in the latest Concorde Agreement negotiations, where F1’s stakeholders discuss the sport's regulatory framework. "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 he expressed "huge appreciation" for Red Bull's two‑decade investment in the sport and acknowledged the historical context that led to their acquisition of Minardi, Brown maintains that the model should not be replicated. "I'm glad to see, quite frankly, that the Racing Bulls and Red Bull don't look like the same race car," he noted, indicating that distinct identities are essential. Brown mentioned ongoing conversations with Laurent Mekies, Red Bull’s team principal, who, according to Brown, is the only person currently overseeing two teams.
"He's been very open and transparent: 'If you see something you don't like, let's just chat about it.'" This suggests that Red Bull is aware of the concerns and is not eager to push the boundaries further. The Concorde Agreement discussions have even touched on the possibility that, over time, one of the dual‑owned teams might need to be divested to preserve competition.
Brown reiterated his stance: "As long as it's managed and watched, adding more of this model would be a mistake for the sport." Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, when asked about the Alpine stake, clarified that the German manufacturer is not seeking to turn Alpine into a junior team to its works outfit. Instead, Mercedes is simply assessing whether a minority share would make strategic sense. "We are looking at it from different angles, and we haven't come to any conclusions," Wolff said. He added that the decision will hinge on whether the investment aligns with Mercedes' long‑term objectives in the sport.
A consortium that includes former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has also been reported as an interested party in the Alpine shares, underscoring the growing appetite among established F1 figures for diversified ownership. The broader debate touches on the sport's competitive balance, financial sustainability, and the integrity of the racing product delivered to fans. Proponents of multi‑team ownership argue that shared resources can reduce costs and foster technical innovation, especially under the stringent cost‑cap regime introduced in recent seasons.
Critics like Brown counter that such synergies can blur the line between independent competitors, leading to scenarios where strategic decisions benefit one team at the expense of another, thereby eroding the level playing field that Formula One strives to maintain. As the 2026 regulatory overhaul approaches – bringing new engine specifications, budget caps, and potential changes to the sport's commercial model – the conversation about ownership structures is likely to intensify. Stakeholders will need to balance the financial realities of running a modern F1 team with the imperative to keep the championship fair and exciting.
Fans can look forward to the upcoming Miami Grand Prix, scheduled for May 1‑3, which will also host the season's second Sprint weekend. The event will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming options available via NOW without a long‑term contract.
The ongoing dialogue about team ownership, sparked by Brown's remarks, will undoubtedly shape the narrative surrounding the sport's future, as teams, manufacturers, and investors navigate the fine line between collaboration and competition.