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McLaren’s CEO, Zak Brown has shared that meetings between team principals are unfair.
In Formula 1, the team principals form the F1 commission along with members of the FIA and Formula One Management (FOM). They meet regularly to discuss governance changes, ideas, and improvements for the sport.
However, as reported by Motorsport Week, Zak Brown has explained his stance on team principal meetings. He said:
“It can be pretty embarrassing in times in the team principal meetings.”
Brown vs Szafnauer
Brown believes the meetings are an embarrassment due to team biases. He thinks there is a lack of commitment from his peers to fairness and equity in the sport. He used an example of McLaren driver, Lando Norris’ treatment compared to Alpine driver, Pierre Gasly. The 52-year-old remarked:
“An example being when Lando was up on penalty points two years ago, and we made our case that, actually, the majority of those penalty points weren’t ‘dangerous’ and Otmar was totally against it, because obviously everyone wanted to give Lando a ban.
“Fast-forward 12 months, Gasly’s up against it, Otmar brings forward the same exact case that we brought forward and we were like ‘dude, you voted against that?’ He didn’t even know where he voted. And that’s not healthy, because it shows that one year it might work for you, the following year it might not work for you.”
At the time, Otmar Szafnauer was the Team Principal of BWT Alpine Formula 1 Team, taking the role in February 2022. However, Szafnauer left Alpine after the 2023 Belgian Grand Prix.
The pair have a history
The pair previously clashed over a contract war about McLaren driver, Oscar Piastri. The events were well documented by Netflix’s Drive to Survive series.
Piastri was an Alpine reserve driver for 2022. He was also appointed as McLaren’s reserve driver after an agreement was reached between the two teams.
The young Australian driver was a promising upcoming talent as the first driver in history to win the Formula Renault Eurocup, Formula 3, and Formula 2 championships in successive years. The 23-year-old has since proved himself an asset to McLaren during his time in F1.
In August 2022, Fernando Alonso announced that he would replace the retiring Sebastian Vettel at Aston Martin, leaving an empty seat at Alpine. Alpine then announced that Piastri would drive for them in 2023, which Piastri publicly denied. It was then announced that Piastri would drive for McLaren for 2023, replacing Daniel Ricciardo.
I understand that, without my agreement, Alpine F1 have put out a press release late this afternoon that I am driving for them next year. This is wrong and I have not signed a contract with Alpine for 2023. I will not be driving for Alpine next year.
— Oscar Piastri (@OscarPiastri) August 2, 2022
While there is a history between Brown and Szafnauer, their dramatic relationship is not the first time we have seen team principal meetings descend into arguments. Netflix’s Drive to Survive aired a team principal meeting which saw Red Bull Team Principal, Christian Horner and Mercedes Team Principal, Toto Wolff in a fierce argument. Both defended their car and drivers in an incident that became an internet meme.
Tensions were running high between the Team Principals at this group meeting ?
Drive To Survive Season 5, now streaming on @netflix ?
#F1 #DriveToSurvive5 pic.twitter.com/Tonx3pxANa— Formula 1 (@F1) February 27, 2023
Brown wants the FIA to have more control
McLaren’s CEO believes that due to inconsistencies in the stances and opinions of other team principals, the FIA and F1 should solely make the decisions. He commented:
“I think you’ve just got to stand back and let the FIA and Formula 1 regulate for the fairness of the sport.”
The American businessman and former professional racing driver recognises this stance would not always benefit his team. However, he believes it is the only way to ensure fairness in F1. He said:
“Which means you’re going to win some, lose some. There could be some times that we [McLaren] lose in the short-term, because we would have liked to block something.
“I believe McLaren want to race in a fair and sporting and equitable way, which means sometimes it might go for you, sometimes it might go against you.”
He clarified:
“But over the long haul, if we’re all in a sport that is about total fairness, and things are equal for everyone, I think that’s just a better sport. We all win.”
To change the way it currently works where majority votes win, Brown wants to move to a less partial approach. He said:
“I’d like to see us get rid of majority votes and get to a simple ‘50%, something gets through’ because we’re all conflicted in some way at some point.”
Brown added:
“We do need to give more of the power back to Formula 1 and the FIA to do what they think is right for the sport. I think we’re our own worst problem at times.”
Should team principals be allowed a say in the governance of Formula 1? Or should regulation be dealt with purely by the FIA and FOM to promote fairness and equity without connection to any one team?
Featured Image Credit: @FormulaShambles on X