McLaren boss joins Zak Brown in raising alarm over Red Bull’s control of Racing Bulls amid FIA rule rethink

McLaren F1 team principal Andrea Stella raised concerns over the working of "independent" teams compared to the likes of Red Bull, who have two teams racing on the grid. Both teams can sometimes be dependent during races, making it a disadvantage for others.

Zak Brown had raised questions regarding the same earlier last year, when Racing Bulls pitted Daniel Ricciardo to snatch the fastest lap point from Lando Norris. The latter was in direct competition with Max Verstappen for the World Championship at the time. Understandably, this was not the case for any other team on the grid.

Encompassing his trust in the FIA regulations, Brown added that this is a matter that should be questioned.

"It’s a question that should be discussed as part of putting the sport in a very solid, fair position so that any team that operates in a fully independent way is protected against the benefits that can be exploited in being dependent as teams from one another," he explained.

He added:

"At the moment, we at McLaren trust that the regulations in place and the way they are enforced are already a valid way of mitigating any potential risk associated with connections between teams, like changing from one team to the other from one day to the next."

Understandably, having a second team can be rather beneficial, but when it comes to other teams following the same, not everyone can afford the luxury. Red Bull and Racing Bulls have worked together throughout the years, with them even exchanging some components and preparing drivers for the senior team.

Brown further questioned the independence of the teams, saying:

"But definitely, we think this is a topic that can be part of constructive conversations in the future to see if there’s a way of approaching the matter of team independence in an evolved way compared to where we are at the moment."

The season has so far been a dream for McLaren. They lead both Championships, and there seems to be no teams coming closer to them anytime soon. However, the picture could change in the near future.

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McLaren expects competition in the remaining season

McLaren has so far been untouchable, mostly. They have managed to clinch eleven victories within the first fourteen rounds of the 2025 F1 season, and have a very strong lead in the Constructors' Championship. This is also the case in the Drivers' Championship, with Oscar Piastri leading, and Lando Norris looking like his only true competitor.

However, their competence could change in the remainder of the season, as per Andrea Stella. He expects Ferrari and Mercedes to step up and challenge them for the race wins in the remaining rounds.

"I think Ferrari is going to be a contender for victories for the remainder of the season," he said. "Anytime we go racing for the second part of the season, we will have to take into account that in qualifying and in the race, we will have to deal with Ferrari, we will have to deal with Mercedes, and today Max was a bit out of contention, but Max, I'm sure, will find a way to fight for victories."

Even if this happens, there is seemingly no way for any team to dethrone McLaren from the top. They won the Constructors' Championship in the 2024 season and have continued the win streak in 2025. They are immensely competitive at the top, and seemingly, the most any other team can do is challenge them for a few wins. But the title seems to be going their way.