Why Zak Brown’s Engine Tease Has McLaren Fans Completely Divided

McLaren is currently flying high in Formula 1, but they are still technically a customer team. However, that dynamic could eventually change. Following recent discussions about the future of F1’s engine regulations, McLaren CEO Zak Brown just dropped a massive hint that the Woking-based squad could eventually build its own power units.

While the bold idea sounds incredible on paper, it has completely split the Formula 1 fanbase. Some supporters are predicting total motorsport domination, while others are quick to point out the team’s glaring logistical hurdles.

McLaren’s “Financially Viable” Dream

The conversation started when FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem recently suggested that shifting back to a simpler, lighter V8 engine formula around 2030 could tempt independent teams like McLaren to stop buying customer engines and finally build their own.

When asked about the FIA boss’s comments during a recent media session at the Indy 500, Brown did not shut the idea down.

“I think if you got an engine formula that was financially viable then, yeah, we would consider it and the technology,” Brown admitted. He firmly noted that McLaren “couldn’t be happier with Mercedes” right now, but confirmed that if an independent engine project “first financially makes sense, then we’ll have a look at it”.

Ambition vs. Reality

Brown’s willingness to entertain the idea immediately sparked a fierce debate on X. Many fans fully believe McLaren has the pedigree to pull it off. One user, @realanedi, argued that the team’s massive cross-series success in IndyCar, WEC, and F1 means they “will outgrow the customer team position”. They added their hope that McLaren’s recent endurance experience in WEC could directly impact a future F1 engine program.

Another fan, @AramisToken, read deep into the politics of the quote. “Knowing Zak, this means: We don’t trust Merc, as we believe they may somehow not be giving us all the info we need to know,” they theorized, suggesting the team might already be looking for ways to acquire manufacturing rights.

However, other fans were incredibly skeptical of the idea. User @carmothy quickly pointed out a major gap in McLaren’s manufacturing history, noting, “I didn’t think they even made their road car engines!”

Another user, @justin_1455, sarcastically suggested the team should prioritize other trackside areas first, replying, “Or maybe just try being good at race strategy?” Ultimately, @RodrionlineX summed up the reality of the situation, noting that while it would be interesting, an in-house engine will entirely “depend on how much money comes into Woking”.

Why This Matters for McLaren

Currently, McLaren is contracted to use Mercedes power units until the end of the 2030 season. Being a customer team has massive financial benefits, but it also creates major vulnerabilities.

As we just saw with the FIA suddenly banning the clever Mercedes 130°C thermal expansion trick between the Canadian and Spanish Grands Prix, customer teams are completely at the mercy of their supplier’s engineering risks. If Mercedes builds a flawed engine or gets hit with a technical directive, McLaren suffers the consequences without having any control over the fix.

Becoming a full works manufacturer is insanely expensive. But if the sport actually brings back cheaper, less complex V8 engines in the next decade, it might finally give the papaya garage a valid reason to cut the cord and take full control of their own destiny.