CEO of McLaren, Zak Brown, leads discussion against the close connections between the two entities in Formula 1.
The team principal of Ferrari, Fred Vasseur, expressed his support for Red Bull and RB amid the controversy surrounding team ownership and collaboration in Formula 1.
Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren, has been the main advocate against the close associations between the two entities on the Formula 1 grid, expressing dissatisfaction with the potential advantages facilitated by the increased collaboration planned for this season.
Christian Horner, team principal of Red Bull, Laurent Mekies, his counterpart at RB, and CEO Peter Bayer, all defended the partnership ahead of the new season, despite Brown’s persistent opposition.
When asked about his perspective on the collaboration, Vasseur told the press, including RacingNews365: “I believe there are two aspects: the first concerns team ownership and the second relates to technical regulations.”
Team relationships are common throughout the grid, such as the alliance between Ferrari and Haas, with the latter using various components from the Maranello team.
“You can imagine a collaboration even without being under the same ownership,” Vasseur added.
“There is a clear line in the regulations and it is up to the FIA to determine whether it is direct or not. In my opinion, it is quite clear and so far, it has always been followed.”
Red Bull’s ownership of the sister team originated from the end of the Minardi team in the 2005 Formula 1 season, and the team has been a major supporter of the sport since then.
Horner’s defense of dual ownership made reference to multiple ownership models in football, leading Vasseur to comment: “Regarding ownership, you can really make comparisons with extreme scenarios in football, such as the Champions League.”
“However, we must also remember that three or four years ago, we were extremely grateful for Red Bull’s financial support when we were facing difficulties.”
