Brown hits out at F1 alliances amid Mercedes' Alpine stake interest
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- Zak Brown reiterated his 10‑year opposition to “A‑B teams” and warned that cross‑ownership risks compromising sporting integrity, citing the 2024 Singapore GP where a Red Bull driver took a point from McLaren.
- Mercedes is reportedly evaluating a purchase of the 24% Alpine share held by US investor Otro Capital, potentially giving the German marque influence over a rival team.
- Red Bull has owned two F1 outfits since 2005, a model Brown points to as a precedent for multi‑team control.
- Ferrari maintains a long‑standing technical partnership with Haas, illustrating another form of inter‑team collaboration that Brown deems unacceptable beyond engine supply.
- Alpine’s majority owner Renault and advisor Flavio Briatoreatore note that the 75%/25% ownership split means the minority holder is effectively a “passenger,” highlighting governance concerns.
Why it matters: Mercedes stands to gain a foothold in Alpine, while McLaren and other independent teams risk losing competitive parity, threatening F1’s sporting integrity. The stake also gives Mercedes indirect influence over Alpine’s technical decisions, raising cost‑cap and staff‑poaching concerns.
