McLaren wants F1 'B-team' arrangements to be reviewed by the FIA

The Haas VF-22 (above) was principally designed at a separate facility within Ferrari's headquarters at Maranello

McLaren wants F1 to review the technology-sharing relationship between teams to ensure that budget cap and aero testing regulations are not subverted through intellectual property sharing.

Team principal Andreas Seidl said that the FIA needs to clarify the “situation” more thoroughly. Speaking to Motorsport.com following the conclusion of the Bahrain pre-season testing, he said:

“From our point of view F1 should be to be a championship of 10, 11 or 12 teams competing where the only things you should be allowed to share are actually the power units and the gearbox environments, everything else, you have to do yourself. Because we know that soon as you go further you have definitely a change or transfer of IP which is performance relevant regarding the car, and that’s not what F1 should be about.”

The German further added, saying:

“And I’m hoping that at some point we make steps. Because we accept as well that policing of let’s say where the limit exactly is, this is also a difficult challenge, and that’s where the most effective and simplest way forward is to have clear limits of what can be shared.”

Relationships between top teams, and their customer teams — often known as ‘B teams’ — have often been controversial. Some relationships in particular, such as Haas-Ferrari and Red Bull-Alpha Tauri, have long been a source of discontent within the paddock.

Mercedes already supplies four teams with engines (Mercedes-McLaren-Aston Martin-Williams).

a) A fifth team would require approval from the FIA (rules)
b) Why would the FIA agree to it? Mercedes would almost have half of the grid as customers… twitter.com/formularacers_… https://t.co/h0HLeh3NHh

McLaren has long been against ‘B-teams’ and has always projected themselves as proud constructors. To maintain their independence, and “works teams” status, they have gone to extreme lengths in the past.

When Mercedes bought their own team in 2010, McLaren was discontented with being a “customer team”, and persuaded Honda to prematurely return to the sport in 2015 – with disastrous results. Even in 2021, when they returned to Mercedes power, they preferred not to feature the German manufacturer on their cars.

‘B-teams’ have long been a source of controversy within F1

When Haas romped up to the 2017 season and started to threaten existing midfielders for best-of-the-rest status, many accused them of cheating. The little American outfit has long bought as many parts from Ferrari as is allowed within the regulations, while outsourcing its manufacturing to Dallara. It only undertakes the mandatory aerodynamic design in-house.

While this approach has allowed it to be competitive without having to sink in vast amounts of resources, it has also led to some questioning whether the team can be considered a true F1 constructor.

As the FIA decision puts a lot of foucs on the rear brake ducts, check out this direct comparison of the Mercedes W10 and the Racing Point RP20.

#AMuS #F1 https://t.co/jLpe64m7a3

In 2020, Racing Point/Aston Martin’s decision to effectively copy the previous season’s Mercedes caused an uproar across the paddock. Ironically, Racing Point/Force India was one of the principal critics of Haas’ close relationship with Ferrari.