Just in:Zak Brown’s Red Bull Jabs Feel Forced as McLaren Ris… read more
Zak Brown’s Red Bull Jabs Feel Forced as McLaren Ris… read more
During the Miami Grand Prix, a curious prop appeared in the McLaren garage: a water bottle labeled “TIRE WATER.” This odd stunt was part of McLaren CEO Zak Brown’s ongoing public jabs at Red Bull Racing, aimed at mocking an unproven claim that Red Bull was cooling its tyres with water. Despite the lack of evidence supporting the allegation, Brown opted for a theatrical display rather than letting public opinion speak for itself. When asked about it, he brushed it off, saying provocatively, “It’s my job.”
Formula 1 has long been a sport filled with mind games and petty rivalries. Brown’s tactics are hardly unique. When Aston Martin introduced a car resembling Red Bull’s RB18 in 2022, the Red Bull team switched their usual drink cans for a green edition — a not-so-subtle dig. Similarly, when Mercedes unveiled their innovative DAS system, Red Bull boss Christian Horner acknowledged the brilliance but simultaneously threatened a protest.
Despite this context of typical F1 theatrics, Brown’s efforts have often felt more abrasive than effective. His feud with Red Bull and Horner began in earnest in 2022 when Red Bull was found to have breached the cost cap by $2.3 million. Brown didn’t mince words, calling it “cheating” in a letter to the FIA and demanding severe penalties.
Since then, Brown has continuously gone after Red Bull, criticizing their dual team ownership, their treatment of Max Verstappen following an incident with McLaren’s Lando Norris, and seizing the opportunity to attack Horner during an internal investigation into the Red Bull team principal last year. Brown later admitted these attacks were strategic, aimed at unsettling a dominant Red Bull team.
Even after Red Bull’s dominance started to wane and McLaren began climbing the performance ladder, Brown hasn’t let up. His latest gimmick — the “TIRE WATER” bottle — is just the newest in a line of increasingly theatrical provocations. However, his approach seems to lack finesse. The key to effective trash talk, especially in a sport as media-savvy as Formula 1, is subtlety and wit. Brown’s efforts risk coming off as clumsy and forced.
Choosing Horner as a target is also a tall order. Horner, one of the most seasoned figures in the sport, has been at Red Bull’s helm since 2005 and is known for both his strategic cunning and biting remarks. He has sparred with the likes of Toto Wolff and managed both dominance and adversity with sharp poise.
Brown, in contrast, is newer to F1’s front lines, having entered the paddock through the business side of motorsport. While his marketing background explains the flair, it hasn’t necessarily translated into effective psychological warfare. With McLaren now on the rise, Brown might be better off letting results speak louder than la
minated jabs.
