Brown: 'B-teams are throwing in the towel as championship contenders'

McLaren boss Zak Brown believes the 'B-Team' model in F1, as exploited by Haas and Ferrari, equates to "throwing in the towel" as a championship contender for the outfit that follows the concept.

US squad Haas sealed a technical partnership with Ferrari before it entered Grand Prix racing in 2016 by which it acquires non-listed parts from Maranello - components of a car which a team is not required to produce in-house, like engines, gearboxes, or suspension elements.

The relationship, while perfectly legal, had several teams up in arms last year, criticizing an approach that calls into question Haas' legitimacy as a bona fide constructor, not to mention the risk of perpetuating F1's much decried two-tier system.

• McLaren urges Formula 1 to fight top teams' resistance to change

While he recognizes Haas' clever merits, Brown wants more clarity and restrictions from Formula 1 and the FIA on the 'B-Team' model.

"I think Haas has done an excellent, excellent job given their resources and how young the racing team is. You have to admire what they have done," said the McLaren Racing CEO.

"I think Liberty are going to address the ‘B-team business model’ because I think it allows the big teams to benefit from the B-team.

"The benefits are everything from technical, to political, to, we’ve seen, on track activities this year that people believe were questionable.

"I think all three of those scenarios is not what Formula 1 is about and need to change for the health of the sport, and I believe they will.

"Liberty have that in their plan, to address B-teams and to what degree you can be a B-team."

Brown sees the benefits of the 'B-Team' approach for both parties in terms of technical and fiscal gains, but the American also emphasizes a major flaw in the relationship.

"Our belief is a B-team will never be able to compete with the A-team and therefore while maybe going to that business model in the very short-term could make you more competitive quicker and be fiscally a better proposition, I think you are giving up on any hopes of racing as a championship contender," contends Brown.

"Therefore, going for B-team status would be throwing in the towel of being a championship contender.

"We think it is critical that Liberty, in the new Formula 1 world, addresses that so all teams can have a fair and equal chance to compete for the championship on a more level playing field."

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