Zak Brown: McLaren will not develop own F1 power unit for 2030
Heading into the 2026 Formula 1 season, McLaren has formally dismissed speculation that it will develop its own power unit for the upcoming 2030 regulatory cycle. Speaking to De Telegraaf, McLaren boss Zak Brown explained that the organization lacks the necessary lead time and views an independent engine manufacturing project as an unfavorable risk-reward balance, cementing its long-term partnership with Mercedes through the end of the decade.
Why McLaren Passes on 2030 Power Unit Development
Rumors have circulated regarding whether the Woking-based outfit might follow the trajectory of competitors like Red Bull and construct a proprietary power unit for future rule changes. However, Brown made it clear that building an elite Formula 1 engine from scratch requires a runway that extends well beyond the timeline for the 2030 rule introduction. According to comments reported by Motorsport-Total.com, Brown stated that a potential engine project is something he sees “rather in ten years than in five,” noting that the team simply would not have enough time to design and manufacture an engine independently if the regulations drop by 2030.
The pragmatic stance is reinforced by McLaren’s current operational standing. The team secured back-to-back Constructors’ World Championships in 2024 and 2025 using Mercedes power units and maintains an excellent relationship with Mercedes High Performance Powertrains (HPP). Zak Brown emphasized that priority number one remains staying with Mercedes, pointing out that the current contract binds the two entities through the conclusion of the 2030 Formula 1 season.
Customer Team Realities Under Radical New Regulations
Operating as a customer squad under the radically altered power unit regulations introduced for the current season brings distinct hurdles. Brown acknowledged that McLaren has faced initial difficulties matching the works Mercedes outfit in extracting maximum performance from the complex new hardware. Because Mercedes invests tens of millions of euros into its core engineering and R&D, the factory squad naturally retains an initial operational edge when understanding brand-new technical architectures.
Yet, Brown views this deficit as a temporary phase rather than a structural flaw that demands an expensive, high-risk pivot. “The current year’s engines are so radically different that it is logical the works team wants to understand and figure everything out themselves first,” Brown told De Telegraaf. He noted that while the works team held a commanding advantage at the opening race weekend in Australia, that gap has progressively narrowed. Over a five-year development cycle, Brown calculates that the customer penalty remains minimal, noting that the team has already captured two Grand Prix victories under the current engine configuration.
Balancing Risk, Reward, and Alternative Supplier Trajectories
For McLaren management, bypassing an in-house engine division is a calculated exercise in risk mitigation. Brown pointed to the cautionary example of other grid alignments, noting that “you can also end up in a situation like Aston Martin with Honda,” highlighting the unpredictable integration phase manufacturers face when entering fresh technical partnerships.
With top-tier drivetrains already supplied by Mercedes and an existing agreement locking in technical collaboration through 2030, McLaren avoids diluting its focus or capital.