Zak Brown: McLaren Racing boss Zak Brown wants driver qualification rules changed

Zak Brown said IndyCar operator Colton Herta (above) "should beryllium successful F1"

Formula 1 should alteration its operator qualification strategy to marque it easier for IndyCar drivers to articulation the grid, says McLaren Racing brag Zak Brown.

Brown said the super-licence "around IndyCar needs to beryllium reviewed" and IndyCar should beryllium treated successful the aforesaid mode arsenic Formula 2 successful the qualification system.

McLaren gave Herta a trial this year, arsenic they person with 2 different IndyCar drivers, 2021 champion Alex Palou and McLaren's ain operator Pato O'Ward.

Brown said it was "a shame Colton Herta isn't successful F1", adding that each 3 were "capable of being F1 drivers".

Although winning an IndyCar title guarantees a operator the 40 points required for a super-licence, immoderate different finishing presumption successful the apical 10 gives little than that.

In F2, the apical 3 positions successful the title each gain 40 points. For IndyCar, determination is simply a sliding standard of points for little positions. But beneath first, each places successful F2 gain much than the aforesaid presumption does successful IndyCar.

It was this disparity that prevented Herta from earning a super-licence.

Herta is simply a seven-time victor successful IndyCar

Red Bull had wanted the 22-year-old, who is simply a seven-time victor successful IndyCar and regarded arsenic 1 of its astir talented competitors, for their Alpha Tauri squad successful 2023, to capable the spot vacated by Pierre Gasly's determination to Alpine.

But the FIA refused to marque an exemption for Herta, truthful Red Bull alternatively turned to erstwhile F2 and Formula E champion Nick de Vries.

Brown said helium was hopeful FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem would reappraisal and alteration the points system.

"The happening that I've seen astir Mohammed is he's prepared to situation rules that are successful spot and hole them moving forward," Brown said.

"So he's playing it by the rules - 'These are the rules and we're not gonna crook the rules,' which I deliberation is the close happening to do. Even if we deliberation the rules aren't good, specified arsenic the super-licence.

"But what he's precise prepared to bash is go: 'Maybe that's not a bully rule. We should reappraisal that regularisation and marque a change.'"

Oscar Piastri volition contention for McLaren adjacent season

Excitement astir McLaren's caller driver

McLaren person signed Oscar Piastri for 2023, to regenerate Daniel Ricciardo, who they dropped a twelvemonth earlier the extremity of his declaration due to the fact that of underperformance.

Brown said helium had precocious hopes for Piastri and expected the 21-year-old Australian to beryllium a bully foil for their pb operator Lando Norris.

"Lando is 1 of the fastest drivers connected the grid and I expect helium and Oscar to beryllium close," Brown said.

"I expect Oscar to person immoderate opportunities to bushed him and vice versa. And that's evidently what you privation - 2 drivers close adjacent to each different and reversing the order.

"I don't person immoderate expectations oregon acceptable retired - this is what (Piastri) needs to bash by this date. But Lando is arsenic accelerated arsenic anyone successful Formula 1 and successful race-winning equipment, he'd beryllium wining races. I deliberation astir apt everyone would hold with that.

"So Oscar is going to person a team-mate that's 1 of the fastest drivers successful the world. But I afloat expect Oscar, successful time, to situation Lando."

Piastri joins McLaren aft a twelvemonth connected the sidelines arsenic Alpine reserve driver, pursuing his F2 title triumph successful 2021.

Ricciardo was dropped a twelvemonth earlier the extremity of his contract

McLaren and Alpine were progressive successful a quality implicit his aboriginal successful the summer, and F1's Contract Recognition Board (CRB) declared successful McLaren's favour, stating that Alpine did not person a valid woody with Piastri.

Alpine's penchant had been to re-sign Fernando Alonso and indebtedness Piastri to Williams for 2 years. They did not privation to connection Alonso the two-year woody helium required and did not budge successful negotiations, believing the two-time champion had nary alternatives.

As it was, Alpine's tactics backfired. Alonso near to articulation Aston Martin pursuing Sebastian Vettel's retirement. And portion Alpine were trying to play hardball with Alonso, Piastri and Webber decided Alpine were not sufficiently committed to them and that they would beryllium amended disconnected signing for a squad who they believed wanted them more.

Alpine squad main Otmar Szafnauer and main enforcement serviceman Laurent Rossi person been captious of Piastri's behaviour, saying helium was disloyal aft the enactment the squad had fixed him.

Piastri won the F2 title successful 2021

Brown said: "I've been precise impressed with however helium conducted himself implicit the summer. I thought Otmar's comments towards Oscar were precise unfair and not accurate. Especially having sat done the CRB and present I cognize precisely what happened.

"I thought the mode Otmar called his integrity into question was precise inaccurate and unfair, particularly coming from Otmar.

"And (Piastri) was precise mature done the full process. For a 21-year-old having each that unit and spotlight, helium was not frazzled, kept his caput down.

"We've had him successful our (old) car. He did an fantabulous occupation and I deliberation he's going to beryllium a aboriginal star."

Brown said observes should carnivore successful caput Piastri's inexperience and the information that teams get lone 3 days of pre-season investigating successful 2023, divided betwixt their 2 drivers.

"What's important is he's not raced for a year," Brown said. "We don't person a batch of investigating and I privation determination was much pre-season testing. Not conscionable for Oscar, but conscionable successful general.

"Because efficaciously he's conscionable going to get a time and a half. Which is not a lot. I deliberation he's going to beryllium competitory and propulsion Lando. We conscionable request to springiness him clip to turn into the team."

McLaren finished 5th successful the constructors' satellite championship

Proposed changes to rules

Ben Sulayem said implicit the play of the season-closing Abu Dhabi Grand Prix that the FIA would "review" the policing of the archetypal twelvemonth of F1's fund cap.

Last month, Red Bull were recovered blameworthy of exceeding the headdress successful 2021 and fined $7m and deducted 10% of their aerodynamic probe allowance for a 12-month period.

Brown said that 1 alteration helium would similar to spot arsenic a effect of the fund headdress is simply a relaxing of the method regulations.

He argues that the rules bash not request to beryllium truthful prescriptive if teams' spending is already constricted by a mandated outgo ceiling, and that freeing them up would thrust innovation.

"I don't cognize wherefore the regulations person to beryllium arsenic choky arsenic they are," Brown said.

"If you've got a outgo cap, past determination should beryllium immoderate much method freedom, due to the fact that you're governed.

"Then you'd spot much innovations, much hazard taking, the cars volition look adjacent much different.

"And if you've got the headdress benignant you've got 2 governors - 'everything has to look precisely similar that and you can't walk much than that'. Stop (the policing) with the walk and bash what you privation (with the cars)."

He said, with some limits successful place, innovation successful F1 was "at risk".