Horner has largely been the force behind RBRs success. It is too convenient for someone with ambition to attempt to oust him. The complaint seems to refer to behaviour that was some time ago, I recall some reference about Geri in Miami in the messages. That was a while ago. (Really don't want to refer back to them to check). If that is the case, someone has encouraged this complaint be lodged by the the lady. The whole thing stinks, on both sides. There is one part on me that feels sorry for Horner. I don't like him but I am not convinced this has surfaced for the right reasons. If so, I can understand he wants to fight to stay on. Who is the real person tearing the team apart? Think we all can suspect.
I don't think we can assume that Jos talking to the press means he's the ringleader (or his son). More likely he's just the dumbest of the anti-Horner faction. Similarly 4D chess to let Max activate an escape clause by removing Horner seems an overly elaborate explanation. I suspect it's Marko or someone else from the Austrian side of the ownership actually leading things and the Verstappen's are simply loyal to them (I've read that Marko was much more instrumental in Max's early entry to F1 and promotion, which might explain why).
I seem to recall last season Marko made some off-colour remarks about something or someone and Horner made it known that he had 'had words' with Marko', comments that suggested Marko was subordinate to Horner, comments that apparently pissed Marko off considerably.
Don't know if there is any accuracy in it, but there are suggestions that Ford may be looking for a way out. RBR currently trying to hamstring themselves.
Ben Sulayem turn now from the BBC ( nothing on Auto Sport yet ) Mohammed Ben Sulayem: FIA president under investigation for alleged attempt to interfere over F1 race Published 1 hour ago Share please log in to view this image IMAGE SOURCE, GETTY IMAGES Image caption, Mohammed Ben Sulayem has been FIA president since December 2021 By Andrew Benson Chief F1 writer Mohammed Ben Sulayem, president of motorsport's governing body the FIA, is under investigation for allegedly interfering over a Formula 1 race result. A whistleblower has told the FIA that Ben Sulayem allegedly intervened to overturn a penalty given to Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso at the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. The claim is in a report by an FIA compliance officer to its ethics committee, which has been seen by BBC Sport. Ben Sulayem and the FIA have not responded to requests for comment. The allegation made by the whistleblower is that Ben Sulayem called Sheikh Abdullah bin Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa - the FIA's vice-president for sport for the Middle East and North Africa region, who was in Saudi Arabia for the race in an official capacity - and made it clear he thought Alonso's penalty should be revoked. Alonso had been given a 10-second penalty for work done on his car while he was serving a previous five-second penalty. The report, by compliance officer Paolo Basarri, says the whistleblower reported that Ben Sulayem "pretended the stewards to overturn their decision to issue" the penalty to Alonso. In Italian, the word "pretendere" means to require or expect. The ethics committee is expected to take four to six weeks to issue its report. The penalty in question had dropped Alonso from third place - behind Red Bull drivers Sergio Perez and Max Verstappen - to fourth, also behind Mercedes' George Russell. Withdrawing it returned him to a podium position. In addition, BBC Sport has verified the information with several senior figures at high levels in F1 and close to the FIA. None would go on the record, but all said they had the same information. What happened in Saudi Arabia 2023? Alonso received an initial five-second penalty for placing his car partially outside his starting box on the grid for the race. This was served at Alonso's first pit stop, but the two-time champion was then given a 10-second penalty because Aston Martin were judged to have contravened the rules by working on his car. The penalty was imposed because Alonso's car had been touched by the rear jack before the full time duration had elapsed, in contravention of F1 rules. At the time, the justification given by the stewards for overturning the decision referred to a discussion that had taken place between the F1 teams and the FIA on the subject of working on cars while serving a penalty in the pits. The right of review decision said: "We concluded that there was no clear agreement, as was suggested to the stewards previously, that could be relied upon to determine that parties had agreed that a jack touching a car would amount to working on the car." At the time, article 54.4c) of the sporting regulations said: "While a car is stationary in the pit lane as a result of incurring a penalty in accordance with Articles 54.3a) or 54.3b) above, it may not be worked on until the car has been stationary for the duration of the penalty." After the race and following the Alonso situation, an additional sentence was added: "In this context, touching the car or driver by hand or tools or equipment will all constitute working." Had this sentence been in place at the time, there would have been no question that the stewards had made the right initial decision. What is the context for this? The revelation of an attempt to interfere over the penalty decision is the latest in a series of controversies to embroil Ben Sulayem since being elected in December 2021. Most recently, the FIA launched a compliance inquiry into Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff and his wife Susie on the basis of claims in a magazine of a conflict of interest. The inquiry was withdrawn after just two days, following angry interventions from Mercedes, F1 and the other nine teams, who all said they had not made a complaint. Insiders say that the FIA may face legal action over the Wolffs matter. A series of controversies through 2022, Ben Sulayem's first year in office, led to widespread concern in F1 about his presidency and calls from senior figures for him to be replaced. After pressure over the winter of 2022-23, Ben Sulayem said he would take a step back from direct involvement in F1, saying it had been his "stated objective to be a non-executive president". The controversies included but were not limited to: Blocking for six months an agreement between the teams and commercial rights holder to double the number of sprint weekends for 2023 Receiving a "cease-and-desist" letter from F1's lawyers following his reaction on social media to a story claiming Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund had tried to buy the sport for $20bn The emergence of a historical website that quoted him making misogynistic remarks Ben Sulayem has said his intervention over the sprints was to ensure the FIA had sufficient resources to handle the change; he has not commented on the cease-and-desist letter. He defended historical sexist remarks on his website in an interview with the Press Association last November, saying: "What did I say, if I said it? Let's assume it was [me]. I tell you exactly what it said. It says: 'I hate when women think they are smarter than us'. But they hate when men think they are smarter than them. "Did I say we are smarter? No. Did I say they are less smarter? No. For God's sake, if that is the only thing they have against me, please be my guest, you can do worse than that." A number of senior figures have resigned from the FIA in recent months. These include Steve Nielsen, who took on the role of sporting director in early 2023 and resigned before he had spent a year in his role; the head of the women's commission Deborah Mayer; Gerd Ennser, the head of German motorsport's authority the ADAC, who quit his role as an FIA steward; lawyers Pierre Ketterer and Ed Floyd; and FIA single-seater director Tim Goss. None of these figures have given public explanations for their departure from the FIA. Goss, a former McLaren technical director, took a job as chief technical officer of Red Bull's RB team. Related
Yes there was definitely friction between them , all started coming out after Dieter’s death . not sure what race it was , but I definitely recall someone asking Marko in the rumours of him leaving were true . He replied “ I will go in my own time “ or something like that .
Adrian himself has certainly noticed... Can only speculate what this means for him winding down in the next few years, but he's clearly had a lot of input to the final configuration, and had things tailored to how he wants to use it. I imagine he'd want to spend some time out on the water, enjoying the boat in the way that he envisaged. And right at the end of the video, he outlines his plan for the first big trip. Clearly a man who's preparing to enjoy life after F1. We just wait to see when. (And maybe we wonder whether this is one of the catalysts for the current RBR dramas. Dietrich gone. Newey preparing for 'life after F1' and might have outlined a timeframe to a few senior people. RBR going to look very different, and some people starting to jockey for their visions of what the future should be.)
First Horner, now Bin Sulayem - could it be that someone is clearing house? On RedBull, agree this can’t be originating from the Verstappen’s - the timing is all wrong. If you’re worried about 2026, you do this mid next year when the groundwork is done for your fifth title and it’s clearer where to jump to.
what if they are freaked by Hamilton already securing the ferrari seat? I'm relatively sure that as of now the engines won't change and it'll be hard for people to get past red bull in the next 24 months. the law of diminishing returns seems to hint that red bull are as likely to go further ahead as teams seem to just be copying last years design while red bull have a series of changes coming thst is breaking new ground. I don't see cars with the rake red bull run I don't see cars with their stability I see a lot of clone cars more or less on bodywork Once the cars have loads of ground effect downforce it becomes about stability and drag really. I just don't see anywhere for verstappen to go to before 2026 now. thry might want the team sorted to look forward at new regs and are worried
As a sailor myself with many thousands of miles ocean sailing I fully comprehend Newey's passion for sailing. It is a surprisingly small world.
He is due to take part in the Rallye de Hannut – a long-planned engagement in his calendar – and still remains a welcome guest of Red Bull at F1 races.
The FIA attempting to alter a race result. I wonder where we have seen that before? Try Abu Dhabi. 2021 !!!
So I’m guessing the real ethical issue they’re investigating is that Alonsos podium put Aston Martin in the limelight for their sponsor - Aramco- home Grand Prix? So insinuation is that MBS came under pressure from them to get Alonsos 10 sec penalty reversed to keep him on podium?
Everything in F1 is very stinky at the moment. Just what they don't want when the racing is also so poor. I can see a lot of people switching off.
It’s a major own goal. There’s so much wrong though. Sky coverage, commentary, horrific camera work that zooms in on sponsors rather than giving you any sense of speed, which without naturally aspirated engines you lose even more so with the quieter sound. So sad to see. Cars look massive, look clumsy on camera and everyone overtakes using a push button. How the hell did we get here?
I'm hearing rumours that the current ructions at Red Bull may have been because Horner was attempting to get backing from financiers to buy Red Bull without the Austrains knowing, and that he had tried to get rid of Marko, although this part was blocked by Max, who remains loyal to Marko. These are rumours of course and there are a lot of them right now. Interesting if true though. Might explain the vehemance of the attempts to get rid of him. I'll post a link later, difficult to do at the moment.
