McLaren boss Zak Brown has expressed his frustration at multiple scandals overshadowing the start of the Formula One season.

It comes a day after an ethics committee for F1’s governing body, FIA, cleared its president Mohammed Ben Sulayem of “any wrongdoing” over allegations of interference.

Ben Sulayem was accused by a whistleblower of attempting to unduly influence F1 processes on two separate occasions.

Seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton on Thursday slammed Ben Sulayem, saying he had never supported the FIA president.

Brown believed the secrecy surrounding the FIA needed to stop.

“We’re living in 2024, not 1984, which means total transparency,” he said on Friday.

“I think we need to make sure that things are done in a transparent, a truly independent manner. I think everyone should welcome transparency.”

It is not the only situation FIA are dealing with. Things escalated further this week when Susie Wolff, the head of all-female racing series F1 Academy, filed a criminal complaint against the FIA.

Brown answered a barrage of questions about the various scandals engulfing F1 ahead of Sunday’s Australian Grand Prix at Albert Park.

“Everyone would like these various topics to [be resolved to] enable us to go back to motor racing, but I think until all the unanswered questions are answered, people will continue to ask questions,” Brown said.

“I don’t think it’s a great situation that we’re in that we’re three races into the calendar and we’re still talking about these issues.

“It’s important that the FIA, as our governing body address this swiftly, transparently and they come to the right conclusions, whatever those may be.”

Brown also hailed Oscar Piastri’s evolution 12 months on from the home-town hero’s Australian Grand Prix debut.

The Melbourne-born driver is hoping to become the first Australian since F1 started racing at Albert Park to secure a podium finish.

Piastri’s teammate Lando Norris went fastest in the first practice of the weekend on Friday, pipping three-time world champion Max Verstappen in a positive sign for McLaren’s bid to match it with powerhouses Red Bull and Ferrari.

Piastri briefly led P1 early, but ended up 10th-quickest, one spot ahead of fellow Australian Daniel Ricciardo in his first drive in Melbourne since 2022.

Brown was impressed by how quickly Piastri had adjusted to life as a Formula One driver.

“He’s already a mature young man, but you can definitely see a year on he’s got a higher level of confidence because he knows what to expect, and I think that will just drive even better performances with the helmet on,” he said.

Ten minutes were lost during the first one-hour practice session, with Alex Albon losing control of his Williams and slamming into a wall.

The Thai driver escaped from the crash without injury, but a tyre went flying from his vehicle, and there appeared to be extensive damage to the gearbox.

Albert Park has been a graveyard for Australian drivers, with Mark Webber – Piastri’s mentor – and Ricciardo having never placed better than fourth at the circuit during their long careers.

Ricciardo famously finished the 2014 race second, but he was stripped of the podium after being disqualified.