Zak Brown takes swipe at Christian Horner amid Red Bull leadership changes

McLaren CEO Zak Brown offered a dismissive "Who?!" when asked if he would miss former Red Bull chief Christian Horner, highlighting the sharp rivalry between the two team bosses. Brown used the moment to praise incoming Red Bull CEO Laurent Mekies, crediting him with restoring the team's performance by fixing the internal culture and stress that plagued the squad previously.

Why it matters:

In Formula 1, technical specifications often dominate the conversation, but Brown emphasizes that organizational culture is the true bedrock of sustained success. His comments underscore a belief that Red Bull's recent struggles were rooted in internal friction rather than just engineering deficits. As McLaren and Red Bull prepare for the 2026 regulatory reset, the stability of their respective leadership structures could prove decisive.

The details:

• The "Who?!" moment: Speaking at Axios House, Brown’s cheeky response signals a lack of sentimentality regarding Horner's departure from the Milton Keynes outfit, where Mekies has stepped up from Racing Bulls.
• Stress and performance: Brown observed that while Red Bull is an "unbelievable team," he could see "where the stress was in the system" which caused performance to dip. He argued that Mekies’ leadership "popped" the performance back up by prioritizing a healthy team environment.
• McLaren's 2025 dominance: The Woking-based squad is riding high after securing back-to-back Constructors' Championships and Lando Norris' Drivers' title in a dramatic 2025 Abu Dhabi finale.
• Cultural obsession: Brown stated he is "obsessed" with McLaren's people and culture, viewing it as the primary driver of their recent success and the reason he spends "all his time" on human resources within the team.

What's next:

With the 2026 regulations expected to reshuffle the grid, both McLaren and Red Bull are aiming to master the new rules as they did the ground-effect era. Brown remains confident that the strong cultural foundation at Woking will allow them to adapt quickly and maintain their championship momentum.