McLaren boss Zak Brown slams Red Bull for “lack of respect”

The two teams are currently the main protagonists in both championship battles, despite McLaren sitting third in the constructors’ fight.

A clash between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris while battling for the lead of the Austrian Grand Prix has seen that fight spill off-track.

Speaking to the media in Silverstone, Brown highlighted the opportunity for the sport to learn from the incident, but also took aim at what he perceived to be failings on the Red Bull pit wall.

“I think it was a matter of time until we saw the two of them going head-to-head,” he opined.

“Obviously, an unfortunate outcome at what was a very small touch. But I think as we reflect on the weekend, I think we need – and I think this is something that the FIA agrees with – we need to invest more in our stewarding to have greater consistency and enforcement of the regulations.

“I think having part-time Stewards, it’s a very difficult job, it’s quite complex, and so to kind of do it on a part-time basis for the level Formula 1 is at, I think, is difficult, because Max and Lando were just duking it out as you’d expect them to do, and until someone tells Max, ‘hey, that’s against the regulations’, he’s not going to know any different.

“And so I think there were missed opportunities for the Stewards to make note.”

Permanent stewards have been discussed previously, most recently raised by former Haas team boss Guenther Steiner.

However, in addition to examining the way stewarding is managed in Formula 1, Brown took aim at Red Bull’s management.

“Also disappointed that at such a great team like Red Bull that the leadership almost encourages it because you listen on the radio and what was said,” he declared.

“We all have a responsibility on pit wall tell our drivers the do’s and don’ts and what’s going on in the race and so I think we need to have respect for regulations and we’ve seen there be lack of respect, whether it’s financial regulations or you know sporting, on-track issues with fathers and things of that nature, and I  just don’t think that’s how we need to go racing and we need to guide our drivers on what’s right or wrong.

“I think had it been addressed earlier maybe that incident wouldn’t have taken place. So racing incident that I think could have been avoided if the pit wall and the Stewards had maybe been more on top of what the regulations say you can and can’t do.”

It’s not the first time Brown has taken aim at Red Bull Racing.

Earlier this year he raised concerns over the relationship between the two Red Bull owned operations, and the opportunity for them to collude and circumvent the regulations.

In that instance, his concern centred on the movement of staff between the organisations, and the potential for information to be freely transferred with them.

That’s in addition to concerns surrounding the voting rights of teams, and the influence ‘AB’ teams can exude.

McLaren holds the early bragging rights at this weekend’s British Grand Prix, with Norris topping both practice sessions, the second from team-mate Oscar Piastri.