McLaren CEO Calls for F1 Multi-Team Ownership Ban

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has written a detailed letter to FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem, calling for rules to prohibit common ownership of multiple Formula 1 teams and stricter regulations on strategic alliances between competitors.

The correspondence, confirmed through multiple channels, outlines Brown's concerns over sporting integrity in a sport that has worked to foster 11 independent teams under cost controls. Brown argues that shared ownership creates competitive imbalances, citing examples such as the free movement of staff between affiliated teams without mandatory gardening leave periods. He referenced Laurent Mekies transitioning directly to Red Bull Racing after his role at Racing Bulls, a move that would typically face delays and financial penalties for unrelated teams.

Brown also highlighted on-track incidents, including Daniel Ricciardo's fastest lap for Racing Bulls at the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix, which denied McLaren a point during Lando Norris's title fight with Max Verstappen. Another example was Liam Lawson's allowance of Verstappen to pass during the recent Miami Grand Prix. These, Brown contends, risk compromising fairness in areas like resource sharing,...