Far from the on-track battles, shadow wars are taking place between the racing teams. Recent rumors about a possible departure of Christian Horner from Red Bull show that the low blows never stop.
A week after the surprise resignation of Oliver Oakes, the boss of the Alpine team, a new rumor has emerged as F1 returns to Europe. An echo in an Italian magazine, supplemented by the Austrian news channel OE24, suggested that Christian Horner could be dismissed from his duties if Red Bull’s results at Imola were not satisfactory. Twenty years after the Austrian manufacturer’s debut in F1, not shining on the weekend of its 400th Grand Prix would be tricky. Firing its historic boss would be even more so.
However, in Formula 1, sentiment does not exist. Only the result counts. And everything is allowed to achieve it, even the most twisted maneuvers.
Some teams, upon returning from Miami, have written a letter to the FIA to – officially – ask for clarifications on the rims that could, at high speed, be mobile and allow the arrival of fresh air (which is forbidden) and other details about the brake ducts. Fourteen pages to get answers on what is legal or not… and try to slow down these monstrous McLarens.
“These rumors mean nothing. We are focusing on performance and want to improve the car.”
And then, there are these bombs, delivered remotely by the press. Ollie Oakes, who was thought to have been ousted for a moment, finally resigned from his position as boss of the Alpine team. The Briton, announced in Dubai as if he were fleeing, is reportedly in England, and even announced in the F2 paddock as early as today, with his former team Hitech, suspected of being supported by the money of Nikita Mazepin’s father, a Russian oligarch close to Vladimir Putin.
It was indeed at the time of the announcement of his resignation that another rumor was born, that of a possible replacement of Horner by this same Ollie Oakes (or by the very young retiree from Racing Bulls, Franz Tost, 75 years old nonetheless). Smear campaigns launched to try to destabilize. Relying on the principle that there is never smoke without fire, Oakes’ name is now attached to that of Mazepin, which is not the best guarantee in the current Formula 1, and Horner’s name is once again on the hot seat, a year after the scandal that occupied the beginning of the season. Verstappen came to deny these rumors. “Honestly, I have no idea where they come from,” he said on Thursday. “I don’t know who could have done this. These rumors mean nothing. We are focusing on performance and want to improve the car.” Red Bull indeed arrives this weekend with many new features.
