Zak Brown calls out Horner: ‘Not personal, it’s to protect our sport’
– Zak Brown has been critical of Christian Horner and Red Bull Racing over the years. His criticism included accusations of Red Bull exceeding the budget cap and calls for transparency during an investigation into Horner’s alleged inappropriate behavior.
– McLaren and Red Bull are now close competitors in Formula One, with McLaren trying to close a 42-point gap in the constructors’ championship after 14 rounds.
– Brown revealed his long-standing relationship with Horner, stating,
“I’ve known Christian for about 25, 30 years. We used to race against each other. I would say we used to get on.”
– He explained that his criticisms are not personal but are about protecting the sport. He was particularly critical of Horner’s reaction to Red Bull exceeding the cost cap in the 2021 season.
“To me, it’s not personal. It’s protecting our sport. The cost cap, the excuses behind that, I never really heard a ‘we just got it wrong’. I heard excuses and not taking ownership,” Brown said.
– Following Adrian Newey’s departure announcement from Red Bull at the Miami Grand Prix weekend, Brown made a jab at Red Bull, saying McLaren was receiving CVs from the Austrians.
– Brown also criticized Horner and Red Bull after the collision between McLaren’s Lando Norris and Red Bull’s Max Verstappen at the Austrian Grand Prix, calling Verstappen ‘unsportsmanlike’ and disapproving of the team’s support for Verstappen’s behavior.
“When I see things not consistent with our values, I’m going to speak up about it because it’s important people understand where we’re coming from. As long as I’m friends with McLaren, our fans, our partners, that’s what’s most important to me,” Brown concluded.