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Is it just me, or is there nothing in Christian Horner's statement that explicitly denies that those messages are real?
He certainly hasn’t come out and said “these are fake”
Horner reiterates denial after alleged messages leak - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/68440269
All this malarkey and no one has mentioned Mercedes were fastest in FP2
Maybe the season isn't over just yet!
If someone had published a load of fake messages that were supposed to be from me, including what are supposed to be pictures of my D, I would be pretty quick to point out exactly what I thought about that
Dunno, having read some of them (I've no desire to go digging for more and find his naked selfies) I'd suspect they're real*, but selective. If there was a physical affair then they've been selected to look like he was doing 100% of it. If there wasn't a physical affair then it's selected to make it look like he was chasing for one and /or there was one.
Not victim blaming, at the very least they look to me like they should be grounds for his dismissal for gross misconduct due to some level of controlling/coercion. Just that I'd bet there's a lot that hasn't been leaked. Otherwise it'd be 10's of complaints that he was a creep, not one complaint where he's pursued it and got what he wanted. I don't blame them for not publishing details of their personal life, I'm just reading them with the assumption they're the tip of a seedy iceberg.
*If it was faked, the messages would be way more incriminating.
Ted Kravitz has just said that Horner is in a meeting with Mohammed Ben Sulayem, hence him not being on the pit wall.
He's back on the pit wall.
Radio 5 said he was on the pitwall...
He's just walked back.
Probably had a pat on the back and a "we'll look after you" meeting.
would he rather be home with Livid Spice?
If he does get the elbow, who is likely to replace him? I'm not all that read up on the internal politics of the teams
All this malarkey and no one has mentioned Mercedes were fastest in FP2
oh look a (sexy) squirrel!
nice and close in fp3, but this is still miles off last years pole (1:29.7)
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He must have very thick skin and able to suck up so much pressure for the amount of folk baying for blood even on here
He might have a card up his sleeve to play drs and hit back with the much more serious blackmail charge, you'd think someone might have tried it on before it all seems to have come out
Once a month then News of the world was famed for this
Horner is in a meeting with Mohammed Ben Sulayem
Promotion to the role of FiA women's ambassador incoming?
If he does get the elbow, who is likely to replace him? I’m not all that read up on the internal politics of the teams
The usual answer would be the head of the engineering, because organizations still believe that good engineers make good managers, but only because they insist on putting engineers a step below managers both on the org chart and the pay scale. But I don't think Newey wants that?
Jonathan Wheatley's name is the one being mentioned if Horner does go.
https://www.redbullracing.com/int-en/drivers/jonathan-wheatley
For some reason I just can't imagine Adrian Newey taking that role, he just gives the impression that he loves the engineering and doesn't fancy putting up with all the bs you would have heading your way as team principle
I don't think Newey would have the slightest interest.
doesn’t fancy putting up with all the bs you would have heading your way as team principle
F1 teams don't have principles, it's the team principals' job to ensure that.
"F1 teams don’t have principles, it’s the team principals’ job to ensure that."
Very good
Yeah I read that Wheatley was in the frame
He's not going anywhere though is he! Livid Spice has just landed in Bahrain.
It might depend on what the FIA think.....they have the power to ban him from F1 if they think he's bringing the sport into disrepute....tho they'd have to be 100% sure those are his texts to do that.
(And I still don't think they are 😁)
It might depend on what the FIA think…..they have the power to ban him from F1 if they think he’s bringing the sport into disrepute….tho they’d have to be 100% sure those are his texts to do that.
Was Max Mosley banned from F1 for bringing the sport into disrepute? I don't like Horner, but there don't seem to be criminal charges filed and the team let him keep his job after investigating. If the FIA ban him over this, it'll lead to endless cases of teams arguing for other teams' staff to be banned because of rumours of screwing around. Time to move on.
On the other hand if you are an employee who constantly receives the unwanted attentions of someone in authority it's not a great situation is it?
Especially if its all hushed up.
Max Moseley was a very different era though - times have changed. The only people I can see who will see him hoofed out is Ford.
it’ll lead to endless cases of teams arguing for other teams’ staff to be banned because of rumours of screwing around. Time to move on.
No, the solution to that problem is for men* in positions of power to screw arroud with their subordinates.
And what's really needed is the people in positions of power (i.e. other team bosses) to call it out!
*I can't imagine this being a problem at Williams somehow
Was Max Mosley banned from F1 for bringing the sport into disrepute?
Consenting adults, gross breach of his right to a private life, stood down the following year at the end of his fourth term.
Alpine, el pain
Haas looking to follow the same as last year. Out the blocks with fast quali pace, maybe grab a few P10s, then it all goes to pot after the halfway point of the season
Ferrari within touching distance during qualifying at least
Big question now* is with he have the fortitude to go against Max into turn 1?
*after the main Horner-penis question
Big question now* is with he have the fortitude to go against Max into turn 1?
Nah, the new crop all seem a bit too friendly with each other to do anything rash.
So business as usual then just all a bit closer.
DRS train from 2-20th?
Be interesting to see whether Ferrari are still just fast over one lap
Also, The Sun have decided the texts are real and published some of the contents
DRS train from 2-20th?
DRS is activated from lap 2 now, so less of a chance for Max to pull a 1 second gap.
All I take from this is I don’t think Red Bull are going to dominate as much as last season.
Nah, the new crop all seem a bit too friendly with each other to do anything rash.
apart from Max, who’d hoof him off the track in a heartbeat
^^^^very true
Looks like Mercedes have backed woody.....🤔
Nah, Hamilton said he set up his car differently cos it would be better for the race
Max, who’d hoof him off the track in a heartbeat
Saw an interview with him at the end of last season, the car is so quick now he doesn’t need to go steaming in, he can just bide his time and breeze past at will.
So the FIA aren't going to investigate Horner, cos they haven't received a complaint (tho Ben Sulieman says it is damaging F1) and Red bull say the messages are a private matter between 2 individuals....
As I said earlier, a boss having an affair (or trying to) with an employee would be sacked in any organisation I've worked in.
So, allegedly an F1 team boss has sent inappropriate texts to a junior colleague, who was offered quite a large sum of money to settle the dispute.
The texts may or may not be being leaked right now, but that's beside the point.
F1 is starting to invest money in helping to develop the careers of young female drivers, who IMHO I hope to see racing an F1 car in the not too distant future. This whole episode won't exactly be an incentive for them.
I must admit, in the past I’ve generally not been too bothered (certainly compared to some on here) about Coulthard’s comments when it comes to Red Bull, but ok, after tonight… that was quite the deflection during the brief discussion about Horner. Apparently it’s the other teams stirring it up and there’s nothing to see here. Found that pretty distasteful.
Interesting qualifying though… hopefully a closer season this year if nothing else. Though I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near Laurent Rossi right now, that’s for sure…
So, allegedly an F1 team boss has sent inappropriate texts to a junior colleague, who was offered quite a large sum of money to settle the dispute.
Allegedly is doing a lot of heavy lifting there.
Though I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near Laurent Rossi right now, that’s for sure…
Or Philippe Krief
I don't have any particular issue with Horner, but any sort of workplace relationship with a power differential is problematic. I get that we're talking about F1 team bosses, who have been comprised of some colossal philandering shits over time, but I can't take F1's initiatives to diversify the sport very seriously if Horner's colleague was offered a financial inducement to drop their case.
I haven't watched the qualifying yet, I've only seen the grid positions but I'm a little shocked at how badly Alpine did. They've two decent drivers who are probably feeling quite grim about their prospects. IIRC Hamilton is opting for a race setup that's compromised his qualifying pace and the Ferraris look pretty handy. While McLaren look to be fairly meek in 7th & 8th, it's worth remembering that a year ago Piastri was 18th and Norris 11th. Alonso looks handy.
Apparently it’s the other teams stirring it up and there’s nothing to see here. Found that pretty distasteful.
I think this is going to be the problem going forward for Red Bull, now that everyone's seen the texts, they're either forced to back Horner and that's pretty distasteful, or they're going to have to admit that in any normally functioning workplace, the only thing Horner would've in charge of now would be clearing out his locker.
So business as usual then just all a bit closer.
with .6 of a second covering the top 9 places and LeClerc in a car that's clearly faster than the RB apparently without the tyre destroying and twitchy back end, I reckon it won't be business as usual. I'm not going to rush to the bookies though.
It looks like the top five teams are close enough that it will come down to who can develop the car faster over the season. Max has an advantage for the driver's championship that his teammate is a clear number two whereas the other teams have competitive teammates. However, if Perez can't help win the constructor's championship, I can't see him keeping the seat until the end of the season.
Though I wouldn’t want to be anywhere near Laurent Rossi right now, that’s for sure…
Andretti will be beating a path to his door!
Focus is on performance, not Horner - Verstappen - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/68452371
Max is happy with Christian Horner 'from the performance side of things'
Hamilton said he set up his car differently cos it would be better for the race
I wonder if he’s channeling Niki there. We shall see later…
I’m hoping this will be an exciting race and Max isn’t 5s / 1 pit stop ahead before the race has got around the first lap.
As for Lewis, not buying it. He’s changed his set away from everyone in front of him, unless he rolls out on hard tyres I’m not seeing him finish any higher. However, I would very much like to be wrong.
Horner is an arsehole, lets not forget that he cheated on his first wife with Gerri, once a cheater always a cheater in my book. I'm looking forward to seeing what the puppies can do in F3 with Alex Wurz and Juan Pablo Montoya's kids involved plus the wunderbar that is Andrea Kimi Antonelli in F2.
Hamilton qualified 0.25 seconds behind Russell. If his car is actually better optimized for the race, it would make sense for Merc to try different setups seeing as they have a completely new car concept and need to learn how to get the best out of it. Or they might have just cocked it up and making up a story to cover up their embarrassment.
Just a reminder to everyone that the race is today at 3pm
…checking in from the sofa! 🛋️🛋️🤣
Please don’t be a boring race!
déjà vu ☹️
Sainz to Mercedes then?
Flippin eck, JK been on the pies?
Just me, or is the Stake green colour the same as the one that Asda use?
"Flippin eck, JK been on the pies?"
Jeremy Clarkson?
Jay Kay
All a bit processional now.
Good drive from Carlos, otherwise pretty boring.
Enjoyed tsunoda ranting over the radio 😃
Well I had a good nod on the sofa with the sound on, so not that good a race.