Zak Brown alongside Christian Horner.
Claiming it is “very important” to serve as a “voice for the sport”, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown felt it was right to air his concerns over the Red Bull Christian Horner investigation for the good of Formula 1.
Off track matters dominated the headlines for Red Bull at the start of the F1 2024 campaign, as an internal investigation into team principal Horner was launched following allegations of inappropriate behaviour from an employee, a case which was dismissed.
Zak Brown felt it right to vocalise Christian Horner investigation ‘concerns’
Brown called for transparency ahead of the season start due to Red Bull’s failure to disclose the details of the case.
“We, at McLaren, maintain the highest standards for ourselves and all individuals associated with our organization. Undoubtedly, diversity, equality, and inclusion hold immense significance not just to us, but also to our partners and every member of the Formula 1 community,” he expressed.
It seems that Red Bull corporation has initiated an investigation, and our expectation and assumption are that it will be conducted transparently, as stated by FIA and Formula 1.
And now in an interview with The Times, Brown would explain why he felt the need to speak out on such matters, painting the picture that “we are all brand ambassadors” for Formula 1 and so he felt that was justification to express his concerns considering Red Bull “are a big part of the sport”.
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Brown emphasized the significance of representing the sport’s interests on crucial matters, stating, “Being a voice for the sport is of utmost importance.”
It is incumbent upon all of us to safeguard the reputation of our Formula 1 brand. Each one of us is a representative of this brand, and it is our duty to maintain the utmost integrity and uphold the core values that F1 stands for. We must ensure that we hold ourselves and others accountable to the highest standards.
The incident that happened there had negative implications for Horner’s brand and team. Considering that his brand and team play a significant role in the sport, I believed it was necessary to express our concern and emphasize the importance of addressing the matter promptly, appropriately, and openly.
Red Bull currently lead the way in the Constructors’ Championship with their three-time World Champion Max Verstappen atop the Drivers’ standings, though McLaren and Ferrari are threatening to mount a title challenge, McLaren’s Lando Norris having claimed a first career win in Miami before finishing within a second of Imola race winner Verstappen.
In the F1 2024 season, Charles Leclerc from Ferrari secured a win in Monaco, marking his first victory of the season. This achievement narrowed the gap between him and Verstappen, the current leader, to a margin of 31 points. Additionally, Ferrari managed to decrease Red Bull’s lead in the Constructors’ standings to just 24 points.
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