McLaren chief warns against Mercedes‑Alpine partnership

McLaren CEO Zak Brown warns that a Mercedes minority stake in Alpine would create a de‑facto A‑team/B‑team alliance, a move he says would damage Formula 1’s sporting fairness.

Why it matters:

A true A‑team/B‑team partnership would dilute the notion of eleven independent competitors, blur intellectual‑property lines and give the aligned pair an unfair financial edge, eroding fan trust.

The details:

• Mercedes is looking to buy the 24% Alpine stake held by Otro Capital, which would give it a direct share in a rival chassis team.
• Brown points to past issues – the 2020 brake‑duct controversy, driver swaps that skirted the cost cap, and staff moves that raised IP concerns – as evidence of the risk.
• Regulators have warned they could tighten the Concorde Agreement to block such cross‑team shareholdings if the deal moves forward.

What's next:

The upcoming Concorde Agreement negotiations will likely address cross‑team shareholdings, with the FIA expected to introduce clearer prohibitions. Brown says McLaren will keep lobbying for a definitive ban on co‑ownership, and any Mercedes‑Alpine stake will face intense scrutiny from rivals and fans alike.