McLaren boss Zak Brown admits he visited Red Bull powertrain in Milton Keynes

McLaren team boss Zak Brown has admitted that his team contacted Red Bull for power units. Despite having a power unit contract with Mercedes till 2030, the British team had a talk with Red Bull and Ford for their engines.

In 2026, FIA will drastically change power unit regulations in F1, allowing teams to bring brand-new engines for their cars. That would bring a massive shift in the sport, as power unit changes could level the playing field. McLaren have been using Mercedes power units for years and extended their partnership till 2030.

Despite confirming that they would take power units for Mercedes, rumors arose that McLaren was actively talking to Red Bull Powertrains and Ford. As per Motorsport.com, Brown spoke with Ford seniors at the 2024 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Moreover, it was also rumored that he visited the Red Bull Powertrains factory. The report claims that the Woking-based team was looking for a plan B if Mercedes power units failed to deliver in 2026.

Speaking to Motorsport.com, Zak Brown confirmed that he and other seniors of his team visited Red Bull's factory in Milton Keynes. However, he said that he visited the Austrian team before sealing the deal with Mercedes. He also mentioned how he has a great relationship with Ford CEO Jim Farley.

Lastly, he joked that he would no longer be allowed in the Red Bull powertrain factory. That was because of some bold off-track comments Brown made against the reigning world champions, saying how they don't respect FIA rules and regulations.

"I have a great relationship with Ford. Jim Farley is a friend of mine from historic car racing. We visited Red Bull Powertrains prior to choosing Mercedes, but I don't think I will be welcome there again for a while."

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McLaren team boss has no doubt on Mercedes' powertrains amid Red Bull's rumored link

McLaren CEO Zak Brown praised Mercedes' high performance powertrains amid rumors about him visiting the Red Bull Powertrains factory.

Speaking to Motorsport.com, he pointed towards Mercedes' track record in the hybrid era and praised their power units. He said that McLaren were happy with Mercedes engines and won't think of any other alternative till 2030.

"If you look at HPP's track record, how long they've been in this business and the people they have, you can't really bet against Mercedes. When you talk about who committed to F1 early, who has the experience and whoever managed it the first time with the hybrids, then Mercedes actually meets everything," Brown said.

"I feel like the engine is the least of our worries for 2026. We are extremely happy with Mercedes and won't think about other things until after. our contract with Mercedes, which runs until 2030," he added.

McLaren are third in the constructors' championship table with 295 points, while Mercedes are fourth with 221 points.