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Zak Brown Says ‘Drive to Survive’ Fame Changed Christian Horner

The comments follow an FIA dismissal of a tyre allegation against McLaren after Horner’s negotiated exit from Red Bull in 2025.

Overview

  • In a Telegraph interview, the McLaren CEO said the fame, money and glory from Netflix’s series “got a bit much” for Horner, whom he has known for more than 30 years.
  • He portrayed Horner’s competitive style as “four wheels off the track,” contrasting it with his own “two wheels off” approach.
  • Brown pointed to Red Bull’s late-2024 complaint that McLaren injected water into its tyres, calling it a disruptive ploy rather than a sincere claim.
  • The FIA investigated the complaint and found no evidence that McLaren broke any rules.
  • Horner was replaced by Laurent Mekies on 9 July 2025 and officially left Red Bull on 22 September after a settlement, leaving his future in F1 uncertain.