Formula 1: Zak Brown sees Cadillac's entry as a 'value add' despite rival threats

New Delhi, Aug 5 (IANS) McLaren CEO Zak Brown believes Cadillac's entry into Formula One next year will ultimately enhance the sport’s ecosystem rather than dilute its resources, even as the General Motors-backed outfit begins to draw talent and attention away from existing teams.

The much-anticipated arrival of Cadillac—approved in March after a gruelling 764-day entry process—will see Formula One expand to 11 teams for the first time in nearly a decade. Despite initial resistance from F1 and several teams who feared a reduction in their revenue share, Brown maintains the addition will provide net gains, especially with Cadillac’s financial muscle and marketing reach.

“I think of employees, they are definitely going to take a lot more than they give, which is fine,” Brown said during the Hungarian Grand Prix. “My general view is if someone wants to go work for a rival team, then shame on me.”

Cadillac’s base in Silverstone places them strategically close to several rival operations, including McLaren, Mercedes, and Aston Martin, making recruitment and poaching a logistical reality. But Brown, whose team is enjoying a dominant 2025 campaign after clinching the 2024 Constructors' Championship, is unfazed by the competition—on or off the track.

“For sponsors, I think they’ll bring more new to the table than take,” he noted, confident that Cadillac’s presence will unlock new commercial avenues rather than simply recycle existing deals.

The American manufacturer is expected to bolster Formula One’s rapidly growing U.S. presence. With three races now staged in the United States—Austin, Miami, and Las Vegas—Cadillac’s brand appeal and sponsorship pull could further energise fan engagement stateside. Their commercial operations are also supported by TWG Global, chaired by billionaire Mark Walter, who, according to Bloomberg, boasts an estimated net worth of $12.5 billion.

“Will we get a better U.S. TV deal, more American presence? I think their sponsors and Cadillac will spend money in the sport, the teams get a percentage of that, so I see them as a value add to the sport,” Brown explained.

While acknowledging the short-term turbulence Cadillac’s entry might bring, Brown remains bullish on the long-term benefits. “I’m not worried about maybe some of the short-term-ness of them are going to take an employee here or there, or poach a sponsor here or there. I think the contribution will be bigger than that.”

--IANS

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