McLaren Formula 1 chief Zak Brown has been on a mission during the winter season, advocating against the co-ownership of teams and collaborations between teams. Brown believes that these practices are no longer suitable for modern F1. However, his stance was challenged by the boss of the team he has been targeting, Red Bull. Brown expressed his concerns during a press conference where he was seated alongside Christian Horner, the team principal of Red Bull, and Laurent Mekies, the new team principal of Red Bull Racing. Brown highlighted that no other sport allows co-ownership of competing teams and called for the FIA to address this issue. Horner, on the other hand, defended Red Bull’s ownership of two teams by citing their separate operations and the commitment they have shown to Formula 1 throughout the years. He argued that Red Bull should be commended rather than criticized for their support and dedication. The debate between Brown and Horner on the topic of multiple ownership became convoluted, losing focus on the core issue of sporting integrity and the need to prevent shared ownership of competing teams. Brown repeatedly emphasized the importance of addressing this issue, but the excessive focus on Red Bull overshadowed his point. The status of Red Bull’s ownership of two teams should be “grandfathered” due to their historical involvement in Formula 1, but there should be efforts made behind the scenes to encourage Red Bull to sell their second team. Red Bull’s rebranding of the team as ‘RB’ has undermined their argument about the team’s individuality and identity. The debate needs to refocus on the fundamental need for independent ownership in Formula 1. Mekies, representing Red Bull, justified their relationship with the team by explaining that sharing components helps level the playing field and create a sustainable business model. He emphasized that despite the commercial success of Formula 1, most teams still invest a significant amount of money into the sport. Mekies also pointed out the point totals of the bottom four teams in the championship last year, highlighting the gap between struggling teams and the midfield teams. He suggested that before removing the current business model, a long-term view should be taken into consideration to assess its impact on the sport.
According to the Source the-race.com