Liberty must ignore Mercedes, Ferrari in 2021 shake-up - McLaren

McLaren CEO Zak Brown says Formula 1 will run itself into the ground if Liberty Media pander to the higher-profile teams such as Mercedes and Ferrari, who have each voiced opposition to the American owners' plans for a regulation shake-up in 2021.

Ferrari have threatened to quit F1 over plans for cheaper and simpler power units, as well as a budget cap that would affect the two teams at the front of the grid most.

McLaren have backed Liberty's plans, perhaps seeing them as an opportunity to reverse their fortunes after falling out of the title fight.

And Brown says F1 CEO Chase Carey should stick to his guns if F1 is to change significantly.

"We know change in F1 is difficult, and we also know F1 today is a broken model, both as a business and as an on-track product, that is going to need to be changed," Brown is quoted by Autosport.

"Those that are winning today will obviously feel the compromise about what is happening, and those are not winning today are going to like the plan.

"It was inevitable that Chase would bring forward a plan that some people like and some people don't like. But he needs to move forward with what he thinks is in the best interest of the sport.

"At the end of the day, what is in the best interests of the sport in the long term is in the best interests of everyone, if people can get past the short-term compromises that they need to make. I think today's F1, if it is stays as is, I think everyone eventually loses."

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