Zak Brown Slams ‘Ludicrous’ Claim He Opposed Signing Oscar Piastri

McLaren CEO Zak Brown has strongly denied claims that he was against signing Oscar Piastri as a rookie three years ago, calling the suggestion “ludicrous.”

The allegation came from Indianapolis 500 winner and four-time IndyCar champion Alex Palou, who testified in a London court last week that Brown told him in late 2022 that the decision to bring in the young Australian driver had not been his own.

Speaking to Reuters ahead of this weekend’s U.S. Grand Prix in Texas—where Piastri enters with a 22-point lead over British teammate Lando Norris in the Formula One championship—Brown flatly rejected Palou’s account.

“I’m not sure which allegation amused me more—the notion that I wouldn’t be the one making a key decision about our driver line-up, or the suggestion that I wasn’t on board with signing the hugely talented Oscar Piastri,” Brown said.

“Both allegations are clearly ludicrous – and anyone who follows our sport will see straight through them.”

Palou’s Comments Raise Eyebrows

Palou, who had been eyeing a future F1 seat with McLaren, claimed in court that Brown told him the decision to sign Piastri had been made by then-team principal Andreas Seidl, who left the team in December 2022.

“Zak told me that Oscar’s performance would be evaluated against mine for the 2024 seat,” the Spaniard stated.

Seidl, who previously led Porsche’s endurance racing team, had ties to Piastri’s manager and fellow Australian, Mark Webber. He oversaw McLaren’s F1 operations from January 2019 until the end of 2022.

Meanwhile, Brown, who joined McLaren in 2016 and became CEO in 2018, holds overall responsibility for the company’s racing operations and commercial strategy.

Palou’s remarks have sparked debate, particularly in Australia, where concerns persist that McLaren may ultimately favour Norris in the increasingly tight championship battle.

With six Grand Prix weekends and three sprint races still to go, the fight for the title is heating up.

With McLaren having already secured the constructors’ championship, attention now shifts to the drivers — particularly Oscar Piastri, who is aiming to become Australia’s third Formula One world champion and the first since Alan Jones achieved the feat in 1980.

Piastri’s move to McLaren in 2023 followed a high-profile contract dispute with Renault-owned Alpine, where he had served as a reserve driver. The saga, which played out publicly, was later featured in Netflix’s Drive to Survive, with McLaren CEO Zak Brown taking a central role.

Although Piastri has not publicly commented on the controversy, he is scheduled to speak with reporters in Austin on Thursday.

Brown, who was recently questioned by the legal team of IndyCar driver Alex Palou, said he saw Piastri over the weekend — and that the young Australian laughed off suggestions his team principal wouldn’t have significant influence over driver decisions.

“We have the absolute best driver pairing on the F1 grid in Oscar and Lando,” Brown said. “I couldn’t be more thrilled with their outstanding performance and their sportsmanship. I’m excited for the fantastic racing still to come this season.”

Meanwhile, McLaren Racing is seeking approximately $20 million in damages from Palou, in a case expected to continue through November. The 28-year-old Spaniard reneged on a planned move to McLaren three years ago, choosing instead to remain with Chip Ganassi Racing in IndyCar.

Palou has admitted to breaching the agreement but maintains that he owes the team nothing.