McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes Christian Horner “changed after fame from Drive to Survive” as the McLaren boss highlighted the former Red Bull boss’s “arrogance” in the paddock.
Team bosses Brown and Horner were arch rivals over the past few years, with both competing fiercely in their drivers’ interests on track for world titles and off track in the press conference room.
Brown, in particular, got under Horner’s skin for his comments around Red Bull’s cost-cap breach in 2022, as well as the investigation into allegations of “inappropriate behaviour” levelled against Horner last year, in which the Briton was cleared twice.
On the flip side, Horner’s tendency to side with the actions of star driver Max Verstappen in battle with McLaren’s Lando Norris irritated American executive Brown. Yet after Horner lost an internal power struggle at Red Bull and was relieved of his duties in July, Brown has now had his say on their past conflict.
“I’ve known Christian for 30-plus years,” Brown told The Telegraph. “We used to get on. His results are amazing. So, hats off.
“But he’s changed. I think the Drive to Survive fame, the money, the glory, all got a bit much.
“I have a huge ego, make no mistake. Ego is good. Arrogance is terrible. For me, ego is all about pride. It protects my brand and the team’s performance. Arrogance makes you make mistakes.”
Brown has also been critical of Verstappen’s aggressive manoeuvres on track in the past, particularly last year when Norris was the Dutchman’s closest rival for the championship.
“I don’t want to disparage Max, he’s a four-time world champion,” said the American.
“He can be a bruiser, too aggressive on track. His arrogance comes out. If you look at some of the greatest champions in Formula One, they’ve had some arrogance about them. They get their elbows out.”
“Max has crossed the line on track at times… in Brazil against Lewis Hamilton over time. A handful of his passes on Lewis were overly aggressive.”
McLaren have won the constructors’ title in the last two years and look set to claim this year’s drivers’ championship for the first time since Lewis Hamilton’s victory in 2008.
Norris currently leads teammate Oscar Piastri by 24 points with three rounds to go, heading into the Las Vegas GP this weekend. Verstappen is 49 points off the pace.
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