Zak Brown has strongly refuted a claim made by Red Bull CEO Peter Bayer, asserting that F1 teams are not profitable. Brown, critical of Red Bull’s ownership of two constructors, reiterated his stance on the need for rule changes in Formula 1, particularly regarding the ownership of multiple teams by a single entity. He emphasized that with the implementation of a cost cap, the sport has progressed beyond such arrangements.
During a pre-season discussion and ahead of the Bahrain Grand Prix, Brown acknowledged Red Bull’s positive contributions to Formula 1 but stressed the necessity for rule adjustments in the current budget cap era. He expressed dissatisfaction with the existing regulations, citing examples from other sports like football, where ownership of multiple teams is subject to stricter oversight.
Brown pointed out instances of shared decision-making within Red Bull’s teams and highlighted the need for independence among the 10 F1 teams. Moreover, he contested Bayer’s assertion that no F1 team is profitable, providing evidence to the contrary by referencing financial reports from Companies House, revealing that four out of seven UK-based teams were profitable in the past year. Brown concluded by emphasizing the success of his own team, illustrating the journey from financial struggles to profitability, attributing it to the budget cap and the diligent efforts of the commercial team. He advocated for addressing these issues in the sport’s rules by 2026, considering the evolving nature of Formula 1.
