Racing Bulls hit back at Zak Brown claims to FIA

Alan Permane has robustly defended Racing Bulls' deep relationship with Red Bull following criticism from McLaren CEO Zak Brown in a letter to FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem.

Brown has long been a vocal critic of dual ownership in F1, with Red Bull GmbH owning both Red Bull Racing and Racing Bulls. Earlier this month, Brown wrote to Ben Sulayem, highlighting instances where Racing Bulls appeared to have damaged sporting integrity by aiding the senior Red Bull team, and also noted the immediate switch of Laurent Mekies from Racing Bulls to Red Bull as team principal last year.

Why it matters:

Brown's letter reignites the debate over team ownership structures in F1, a topic that has simmered since the 2020s. If the FIA finds merit in the claims, it could lead to tighter regulations on how closely affiliated teams can cooperate, potentially reshaping the competitive dynamics for Red Bull and its sister outfit.

The Details:

• Permane acknowledged the benefit of being part of the Red Bull family but framed the relationship as strictly a customer-supplier arrangement.
• "Our relationship with Red Bull Racing is very much a customer-supplier relationship. We take some suspension from them, we take gearboxes from them, and various other components that are allowed under the technical regulations, which we follow very rigorously," Permane told the media.
• He contrasted this with his years at 'Team Enstone' (an independent outfit), noting that a "lot of work goes into ensuring that we are respecting those rules" when working with a sister team.
• "A lot of effort that could be put into other areas is put into ensuring that we respect those regulations. So, I don't see any issue with the way we operate currently."

What's next:

Brown has indicated he wants to hold discussions with the FIA president on the subject. While no formal action has been taken, the letter adds pressure on the governing body to clarify rules around intra-team cooperation. For now, Racing Bulls maintains its stance that all activities comply with the regulations, and the team expects to continue its current operating model into the 2026 season.