McLaren CEO Zak Brown Seeking Rule Change In Order To Avoid Embarrassment

McLaren CEO Zak Brown is seeking the removal of voting rights from Formula One teams as a part of the new and upcoming Concorde Agreement. The Concorde Agreement is a contract that binds the teams to F1 and the FIA. The ongoing Concorde Agreement came into effect from 1st January, 2021 and is set to expire towards the end of 2025. This was the same agreement which imposed a budget cap on teams. The new Concorde Agreement is set to come into effect from January 2026. 

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The New Agreement 

The new Concorde Agreement calls for several tweaks and changes in rules. The very first suggestion in front of the F1 commission is to have points for teams all the way down to 12th place instead of the current top 10 scenario. These suggestions are placed and all the teams are asked to vote on the matter.

If the motion is passed it is then sent to the World Motorsport Council for adoption. The suggestion to remove the voting rights from F1 teams would then mean that all the decision taking power would be with F1 and FIA.  

Cause Of Embarrassment 

When talking to media personnel Zak Brown said, "In my view, which I have been consistent on, I'd like to see the teams have less authority, still with as much of a voice, through voting for all these different things that we vote on. I'd like to see us get rid of majority votes and get to a simple 50% as something could get through because we're all conflicted in some way at some point and the threshold for teams to be able to rally together and block something is there. Whether it is an A-B team issue, whether it is a manufacturer issue, I think we do need to give more of the power back to Formula 1 and the FIA to do what they think is right for the sport. We are our own worst problem at times. Not everyone is on the same page, because they want to have the ability to influence the outcomes, and it can be pretty embarrassing at times in the team principal meetings."

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