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McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown escalates the conversation on Formula 1’s ownership rules with a six-page letter to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem. This letter calls for regulations to prevent the shared ownership of multiple teams in F1, a topic reignited by the speculation that Mercedes might purchase a 24 percent stake in Alpine from Otro Capital.
Brown's concerns extend beyond specific teams like Mercedes and Alpine; he emphasizes that the issue affects the integrity of the entire sport. “A/B teams, co-ownership… regardless of who it is, I frown upon it,” he states, urging for swift action against these arrangements. He points out potential advantages for teams under common ownership, such as unrestricted resource sharing and influence over race strategies.
The FIA faces increasing scrutiny as F1 grapples with the implications of such ownership structures. Historically, the sport has allowed models like Red Bull’s satellite teams, but Brown argues for a halt to their proliferation. Ben Sulayem acknowledges the need for clarity in regulations, a sentiment echoed in other major sports leagues that prohibit multi-team ownership to safeguard competitive fairness. As F1’s commercial expansion surges, the pressure mounts on the FIA to address this critical issue.
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