Zak Brown writes letter to FIA over 'controversial' Red Bull F1 model

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has penned a strongly worded letter to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, seeking tighter rules to reduce alliances between teams. 

Brown has long been a vocal critic of dual ownership of teams within grand prix racing, with Red Bull GmbH currently owning both Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls. 

In April, Brown commented that multi-team ownership, banned in most other major sports, such as football, "runs a high risk of compromising the integrity of sporting fairness," although the American has acknowledged that such arrangements once served a legitimate purpose back when teams were financially unstable. 

However, now that teams are on a secure financial footing, Brown has continued his push to outlaw such practices and has written a lengthy letter to FIA president Ben Sulayem, a copy of which has been seen by RacingNews365.

In his letter, Brown highlighted specific recent instances of where Racing Bulls appeared to have damaged the sporting integrity of F1 through actions to aid the senior Red Bull team.

He highlighted the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix where Racing Bulls' Daniel Ricciardo was pitted on the final lap for an attempt on the fastest lap - and to remove the bonus point from McLaren's Lando Norris in a bid to aid Max Verstappen's drivers' championship hopes.

Ricciardo did get the fastest lap from Norris, with this having major implications on the permutations of the championship, as it meant Verstappen was then able to finish second to Norris and still win the title at the remaining races. 

Brown also highlighted the recent Miami Grand Prix, where Racing Bulls instructed Liam Lawson to cede position back to Verstappen after the Red Bull had appeared to force Lawson off the track on the first lap to aid the Red Bull's recovery after the Turn 2 360-degree spin. 

Another area Brown has raised was the transfer of Laurent Mekies from Racing Bulls to Red Bull in July 2025 to replace the sacked Christian Horner.

Mekies was team principal of Racing Bulls, but was transferred with immediate effect to Red Bull, and did not have to serve any gardening leave before the move. He also made reference to McLaren's poaching of Rob Marshall from Red Bull - and the nine-month gardening leave plus heavy compensation. 

Red Bull has also recently announced the signing of Andrea Landi from Racing Bulls, with this coming on April 17th before a July 1st start date. 

Brown claims that this "reinforces" the perception that internal firewalls are not operating in a way that would be accepted between "genuinely independent competitors."

He also wrote that there are potential benefits in wind-tunnel and software development for dual-ownership teams. 

Speaking to select media including RacingNews365 recently in Miami, Ben Sulayem indicated that F1's governing body would investigate the issue of multi-team ownership.

"I feel ownership of two teams, as long as it's for the right reason...And what is the right reason?" he questioned.

"As long as you are not trying to take it because you don't want others to take it, or also get voting power when it comes to the regulations, then maybe it's okay.

"But then I do believe that owning two is not the right way. This is my personal point of view. We are looking into it because it's a complicated area. We have put our people to see if it is possible. Is it allowed? Is it the right thing?"

Brown also wrote in his letter that he would welcome further discussions with the FIA over the matter.