With the 2nd Formula One race of the season done and dusted in Saudi Arabia, the focus continues to be on team politics, less on actual racing. We have entered another era of F1 smut.
Of course, the big story is Red Bull and the chaos that is currently surrounding the Team, in particular, the alleged inappropriate behavior of Team Principal Christian Horner towards a female employee.
As with all professional sport, news media can be relentless – tabloids even worse. Smut is selling fast and furious.
So, what do we actually know? What is speculation? Downright gossip?
In early February, Dutch tabloid “De Telegraaf” reported that a complaint had been lodged against Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner by a female team member. As with any large company, Red Bull GMBH (the parent company, not Red Bull F1) moved quickly to appoint an “independent” external barrister to look into the matter; let’s remember, however, that Red Bull hired this person, stretching the definition of “independent”. After a flurry of interviews and a review of available evidence, the employee complaint was dismissed and Horner’s name was cleared … well, maybe. What bet did you have on the outcome?
On the 1st day of Round One of the 2024 F1 Championship in Bahrain, a series of text messages was suddenly released to media, F1 Team Principals and Jos Verstappen (father of reigning World Champion, Max Verstappen). These unconfirmed text messages were said to represent exchanges between Horner and the female Red Bull staff member complainant.
At this point, none of the text messages have been authenticated and are presumed to be fake.
So, now what?
Well, some disparaging comments by Max Verstappen’s father implied that this situation (the released text messages) “will tear the (Red Bull) Team apart”.
A meeting rife with swinging arms between Jos and rival Mercedes Team Principal Toto Wolff could be construed as an attempt by Verstappen Sr. to try to unseat Horner and introduce further toxicity to the Red Bull Team. Have you thought why he might want to do that?
Horner has been trying to downplay the negative comments made by Jos Verstappen and the relentless media machine while keeping the Red Bull Team focused on winning another Championship for his Drivers.
Where did these leaked text messages come from? Surely not Julian Assange.
Allegations against Red Bull Advisor Helmut Marko regarding recent media leaks were quickly shut down after a meeting with Oliver Mintzlaff (Red Bull GMBH CEO).
As for the female employee who made the allegations against Horner, she has been suspended (with full pay) due to her “dishonest behavior”, with no further explanation provided.
Both Mercedes' Toto Wolff and McLaren's Zak Brown have urged Formula 1 and the FIA (the governing body of the Sport) to review the Red Bull situation. What does that mean? Should Red Bull’s internal business be revealed for all to see? Doubtful, just as both Mercedes and McLaren would be reluctant to drop their pants.
What needs revealing is: WHODUNIT? Who is behind the release of unauthorised private text messages that were designed to destabilize the Red Bull Team and F1, in general.
In the past, the FIA has had no trouble dropping a hammer on transgressors - just ask Flavio Briatore (Crash-gate – a staged crash to give Alonso an F1 win) or McLaren (Stepney-gate – McLaren obtained secret technical documents from Ferrari).
Perhaps a lifetime ban from F1 might send a message to those who would try to disrupt the Sport. This whole affair is starting to give the appearance of professional wrestling or a bad soap opera at a time when Formula One has done an incredible job of raising its profile globally.
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