Zak Brown urges FIA to ban common ownership of multiple F1 teams

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown has escalated the battle over team ownership structures in Formula 1, sending a six-page letter to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem urging a ban on any future common ownership of multiple teams.

The move comes amid speculation that Mercedes could acquire a 24% stake in Alpine currently held by Otro Capital — a deal that would revive concerns over so-called “A/B team” relationships.

Why it matters:

Multi-team ownership can create unfair advantages through resource sharing, indirect cooperation, and influence over sporting matters. As F1’s commercial value surges, the FIA faces pressure to decide whether such models are compatible with long-term competitive balance.

The details:

• Brown’s objection applies broadly — not just to Mercedes or Alpine, but to any co-ownership arrangement. He stated: “I frown upon it. I don’t think it’s healthy for the sport.”
• Key concerns include:
  • Lack of gardening leave restrictions between linked teams (e.g., Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls).
  • Risk of shared intellectual property and resource pooling.
  • Past controversy: Daniel Ricciardo’s fastest lap at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, which cost Lando Norris a point — widely seen as team orders across sister teams.
• Ben Sulayem acknowledged during the Miami Grand Prix weekend that the FIA may need to address an area not covered by existing regulations.

The big picture:

Major American sports leagues and top European football competitions already prohibit ownership stakes in multiple competing teams. F1’s current structure — with Red Bull owning two teams — has been tolerated for decades, but Brown argues the sport must stop similar arrangements from spreading further.

What’s next:

Pressure is mounting on the FIA to clarify its stance. With no specific rule currently in place, any decision could reshape the ownership landscape of Formula 1 and affect future investment.