Zak Brown deems politics-stricken F1 a “very nasty” environment compared to American IndyCar

Zak Brown points out the stark contrast between F1 and IndyCar drivers.


Zak Brown deems politics-stricken F1 a “very nasty” environment compared to American IndyCar

Zak Brown

Zak Brown is the CEO of the British automaker McLare’s racing division. The 51-year-old brought the British F1 team back on the right path after the team’s downfall. Under Brown’s leadership, McLaren expanded once again in the racing world with teams in other series such as Indycar, Formula E as well as Extreme E. Recently Zak compared the environment with its American rival, IndyCar.

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The McLaren CEO felt that there could be an ideal middle ground between F1 and IndyCar. As the 51-year-old believed the Formula 1 paddock to be a brutal place. Zak said, “I wish that IndyCar and Formula 1 could meet in the middle. That would be the most optimal form of racing. Politically, Formula 1 is an extremely nasty environment. Very nasty.”

Brown explained how the drivers in IndyCar have a strong bond with themselves in a rather friendly paddock. Zak Brown explained, “IndyCar for the most part is more like, “Let’s all go celebrate Bob’s birthday Friday night!” Still fierce competitors, but I think it compromises some of the drivers when they’re buddy-buddy.”

Although, the 51-year-old recognized this same bond to be an issue when drivers go wheel-to-wheel as they might not race aggressively. Zak stated, “If you have to make a move that’s a bit aggressive, I think if that’s your buddy you’re racing against, I don’t see how that doesn’t pull you back a little bit.” Often many drivers switch to IndyCar after being ousted from Formula 1, such as Romain Grosjean and Marcus Ericsson.

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F1 drivers can “crash into each other,” reckons Zak Brown

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Brown carried McLaren’s ambitions over the pond

Moreover, the McLaren boss highlighted that F1 drivers do not share such a problem as the 51-year-old insists that drivers don’t shy away from making contact. He said, “On the flip side, Formula 1 drivers can at times … well, crash into each other.” The latest example of such an instance was the clash between George Russell and Max Verstappen in the Azerbaijan GP sprint.

Lastly, Zak Brown insisted that both championships use these unique traits as their strength or weakness depending on the situation. The 51-year-old respects both the series for their respective, individual, legacies. He concluded, “I think they’re both awesome. But I think often one’s greatest strengths at their extreme are also one’s greatest weaknesses and that’s the case for both series.”

Thus, it seems that Zak has learned the hard way about politics in Formula 1. The 51-year-old has seen a steep difference in the relations between competitors in F1 and IndyCar, although Brown acknowledges this to be an integral part of both series. As harsh as the comment on the environment was, many would agree with the words of the McLaren CEO.

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