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Speculating on the above, but if Horner and Newey can/do leave would Newey go to Ferrari to give Hamilton/LeClerc something better to use?
The F Duct?
The backing on his left glove is also different to the right.
The scarcely believable irony in all of this is how it seems that Horner could in some ways be the only one to come out of this with any sort of dignity.
would Newey go to Ferrari to give Hamilton/LeClerc something better to use?
I would imagine he would want a great many assurances written into his contract, and a massive cheque
Newey go to Ferrari
Or would he leave F1 and the teams gradually return to a more even performance level?
Can't see Newey leaving Red Bull, Horner there or not, he's got unlimited resources, the car is way ahead, and they can concentrate on next year's car earlier than the rest of the field.
I'm pretty certain that should he go Red Bull have someone there ready to take over, unless Newey takes the whole design department with him.
"The F Duct?"
I thought we were trying to change the subject
"The scarcely believable irony in all of this is how it seems that Horner could in some ways be the only one to come out of this with any sort of dignity."
I know, right?!
You can't polish a turd, but you can stand it next to Jos Verstappen
And another bit of scandal thrown into the mix!!... 🤣🤣
[b]Mohammed Ben Sulayem: FIA President under investigation for alleged attempt to interfere over F1 race[/b]
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/68465516
ye gads. F1 seems to be an experiment where you create a moral vacuum and then attempt to fill it with money.
Red Bull have got to really, really love Horner if they keep him over Max.
It's not what you know...
Or who you know. It's what you know about who you know
the-muffin-man
Red Bull have got to really, really love Horner if they keep him over Max.
Quick, but toxic - especially with his dad around. I'd get shot but then I can't stand him.
Don't forget Newey had a dabble with the Americas Cup a few years back. He's obviously amenable to exploring new things to win in, and perhaps money.
Not sure money is still the motivator, a way to keep score but not a motivator : His net worth is estimated to be a staggering $50 million, a testament to his success in the world of motorsport. As a key figure in Formula One, Newey is handsomely compensated for his expertise and contributions. He earns an annual salary of $10.2 million, making him one of the highest-paid individuals in the sport.
I think amongst designers Newey is unique in that I don't think he's got day to day responsibility for the car, and nor does he want it, he guides the team of designers fo'shure, and Red Bull I think is pretty unique in that way, as much as Horner has moulded the race team on the track , Newey has moulded the engineering team to what he wants. I think he'll end his F1 career there.
The red cars are always tempting though - can you really say you've "done" F1 unless you've worked for Ferrari?
I get the feeling he's more garagista but who wouldn't relish the idea of turning Ferrari into a properly competitive team again?
I would imagine that Ferrari has offered him any number of opportunities and bags of cash over the years. Here he is, still at Red Bull. In his book he's said always wanted something like the set up that he has now, and while this set of regulations plays to his strengths, I've no doubt that F1 will **** about with them to get rid of RB's advantage in the same way it did to Mercedes a few years back. What he'll do then is anyone's guess.
The red cars are always tempting though – can you really say you’ve “done” F1 unless you’ve worked for Ferrari?
I get the feeling he’s more garagista but who wouldn’t relish the idea of turning Ferrari into a properly competitive team again?
The dream role for someone creative and technical is one where there is somone who will protect you from all the political bullshit entirely, and keep the money coming in. That's what Horner does (/did!) well at RB. I think he will be verrrrry wary of jumping to Ferrari, which is politics central.
More likely he'll sack the whole thing off and sail his new yacht* https://oysteryachts.com/new-sailing-yachts/oyster-885/adrian-newey-building-my-oyster/
* not that my recent F1 predictions have a good track record 😂
I read or heard somewhere (probably Andrew Benson) that Newey has twice before come very close to signing for Ferrari
From what I understand, Newey left Williams because Frank Williams and Patrick Head promised that he would be consulted on important decisions like driver selection, but then they reneged on the deal. At McLaren, he apparently rubbed up Ron Dennis the wrong way by insisting on having a physical drawing board instead of doing everything in CAD and Dennis got so pissed off that he threw all the papers off Newey's desk onto the floor. At Red Bull, he was basically given free reign to run the technical department as he wanted. If he goes to Ferrari, he will be stuck with a technical department built by other people and he will face constant pressure from above and if he didn't win the championship within a couple of years, he would probably face the same fate as his predecessors. I can't see him being interested in that.
Do we think there's any truth in the rumours that Horner was trying to buy the Red Bull F1 team...
https://www.autoracing1.com/pl/421352/formula-1-rumor-a-major-new-twist-in-the-horner-red-bull-saga/
More likely he’ll sack the whole thing off and sail his new yacht* https://oysteryachts.com/new-sailing-yachts/oyster-885/adrian-newey-building-my-oyster/
/blockquote>
So not only can he design the best f1 car of the current regs he can do it working apart time so he has time to do projects like this. The other reams designers must feel really rubbish
He didn't actually design the car himself. Apparently he focused his attention on the suspension. As technical director, he would have kept an eye on the other stuff but the work was done by others under his management. Those are the people that he hired and trained so he deserves the credit, but he doesn't really design the cars himself anymore.
"At McLaren, he apparently rubbed up Ron Dennis the wrong way by insisting on having a physical drawing board instead of doing everything in CAD and Dennis got so pissed off that he threw all the papers off Newey’s desk onto the floor. "
Seems deeply unlikely that a man so committed to neatness would make a mess. I'm calling bullshizzle on that.
I've Newey's book, I know the stories*. But I bet Ron never swept papers off anyone's desk.
* Which is excellent, BTW.
Yup, that's in his book too. Arrived at McLaren and everything was corporate grey, wasn't having it. It wasn't a great start to their relationship
"Here’s the office paint story:
> https://www.planetf1.com/news/ron-dennis-almost-fired-adrian-newey <"
Yep, as stated 4 minutes previously, I know the stories. Now find me the one where Ron swept the papers off the desk.
Now find me the one where Ron swept the papers off the desk.
It's the sexy version of the story
Heh! I don't think they NEED sexing up. 🙂
I know Ron got someone to re-spray his kitchen cabinets a slightly different shade of grey, because he wasn’t happy with the almost identical previous grey.
Not seen him for a while but he used to paint the cars.
No idea if he still does, next time I bump into him I’ll try and remember to ask for Ron stories.
I suspect any stories will be just as dull.
More drama!...
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/68478049
...the sport is imploding - I'm starting to think there's a new FISA/FOCA war going on, and a break-away series will be threatened soon. There's a lot of unhappy people in the paddock.
the-muffin-man
Full MemberMore drama!…
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/68478049
…the sport is imploding – I’m starting to think there’s a new FISA/FOCA war going on, and a break-away series will be threatened soon. There’s a lot of unhappy people in the paddock.
LMAO what the hell is going on
Even Marina Hyde of the Guardian is getting in on the act...
I hope Marina took the day off after writing Keeping up with the Karcrashians
Didn’t the drain covers get dislodged in LV?
Now I’m wondering if the whistleblower is trying to distract from their bad work, or if Ben popped down to the track and loosened them off.
I've always told people to treat F1 like a soap opera - most races are boring, you have to follow the drama behind the scenes as it unfolds through the season. I liked this bit from Marina Hyde:
You’d think one of the drivers would be the de facto star of Drive to Survive, but I have to tell you it is Horner. With the possible exception of about three 19-year-old footballers, no one in world sport has wanted to be famous quite as much as Christian Horner. He came to the realisation of this ambition comparatively late in life (he is 50), and consequently has yet to settle into his “easy charm” years. A hilariously unbearable short king, Horner is forever organising cursed clay pigeon shooting events and playing to the cameras on the pit wall, or inviting them to capture him and Geri trotting along on their horses in the Cotswolds, or being filmed asking his children leading questions about what they most wish for. “What about Max winning the world championship?” As his small daughter once put it somewhat brutally on camera: “That’s your wish.”
LV drain covers - it was the bit that the drain covers were bolted to that came loose, not the actual drain covers according to the article.
Annoyingly, the new Saudi track looks quite interesting.
https://twitter.com/Scuderiascoop/status/1764970208739909863
The Disney-fication of modern F1 is accelerating depressingly rapidly.
nickc
Full MemberThe Disney-fication of modern F1 is accelerating depressingly rapidly.
doubt it'll look anything like this, but it seems like wipEout was the vibe they were going for:
https://twitter.com/Formula_Nerds/status/1764967999713255805
doubt it’ll look anything like this, but it seems like wipEout was the vibe they were going for:
Does that mean they can barge each other off the track!? 🙂
It really feels like Alpine are in deep trouble. Are they going to make it the end of the season even? I hope so, it looks like they have been really hobbled by the engine freeze though
I hope so, it looks like they have been really hobbled by the engine freeze though
...and which fizzy drink company owned team was behind that little scheme!? 🤬
it looks like they have been really hobbled by the engine freeze though
They really only have themselves to blame. Ferrari managed to produce a competitive engine after a poor start to the new engine regulations, Honda had a disastrous start but turned it around to produce the best engine on the grid. Renault just spent 10 years constantly promising that next year would be better, but it never was.
Another engineer leaves Alpine
I’m intrigued by the phrase “a true mutual agreement”. Partly because it implies the obvious but rarely acknowledged truth that all the other mutual agreements weren’t, but also because you wonder who mutually agreed it first.
Didn't Ghosan once tell Horner when Renault supplied their engines that Renault were only in F1 becasue his marketing team had sold it to the Renault board as essentially another form of advertising?
Saudi Arabia this week, round 2 of the Red Bull/Verstappen/FIA shenanigans, I'm beginning to get bored with it all.
If the on track action was as dramatic, it would be a classic season.
I expect another dreary procession behind the caffeine cars
Any bets on when Jos will nip out to an Internet cafe near the circuit and send another anonymous email?
Any bets on when Jos will nip out to an Internet cafe near the circuit and send another anonymous email?
According to Benson he's rallying this week..... 🤔
"Saudi Arabia this week, round 2 of the Red Bull/Verstappen/FIA shenanigans, I’m beginning to get bored with it all."
I'm not....yet. I think maybe one more race, possibly two, and it might start to feel like a bit of a drag, although it's also very possible that I'll never get tired of watching Red Bull tear itself apart
Yeah after hearing about LeClerc's brakes, Mercedes cock up with cooling etc etc, I'll give it another go, but honestly it's not looking good for actual 'racing' though.
The woman who accused Christian Horner of inappropriate behaviour has been suspended by Red Bull.
It is unclear exactly why she has been stood down. A weeks-long investigation into the allegations by an independent barrister cleared Horner of wrongdoing.
A Red Bull spokesperson said: “The company cannot comment on this internal matter”.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/formula-1/2024/03/07/christian-horner-accuser-suspended-by-red-bull/
WTAF...
Press: At least with the attention on Horner's relationship with the Verstappen family the spotlight is off the woman at the centre of Horner's alleged behaviour
RB: Hold my beer...
Classic
When I was working on a well known cooking competition tv show, one of the two presenters (who was married) whisked a runner, who was well under half his age, away for a dirty weekend. Guess which one stopped turning up for work
So sweet to see two people so obviously in love.
[im
I'm even more convinced he did it now.
Is she trying to wrestle herself free?^^
one of the two presenters
AWT?
RB Horner had better hope the (ex)employee hasn't got anything more revealing up her sleeve...
That's just going to lead to more questions about the transparency of the whole affair. Whoever is in charge of PR should be sacked.
Subtle pinch of the bingo wings...nice! 🙂
Horner will be controlling the PR machine and dictating what they release about his controlling behaviour. Irony?
Subtle pinch of the bingo wings
Does anybody else think that's a very odd position for her to be holding her left arm? Not entirely natural, or comfortable looking.
I wonder what he'd choose if she gave him the ultimatum between keeping his job or her?
one of the two presenters
Possibly a lesson that workplace relationships don't get tougher than that, or else they didn't get a golden handshake when they left.
On a positive female front - there are some properly talented drivers in F1 Academy. Doriane Pin being the favourite following her excellent drives in WEC last season.
And Ken Block's daughter Lia has made a cracking start.
The whole Red Bull F1 thing is really fascinating, not just because of the soap opera nature, but because the F1 Team is so out of alignment with everything else Red Bull is involved with. Their sponsored athletes are (i believe) very carefully chosen and all seem to be role models and 'nice' regardless of how extreme and crazy their sports are.
The brand image is sacred and that extends to who they choose to represent them.
In F1, someone like Daniel Ricciardo also fits this mould, but Max and behaviours never really seemed to, and now all this stuff.
I previously had Horners outbursts etc down as being a pantomime villain for the entertainment, but am now not so sure.
I cant imagine that the parent Red Bull company are happy with any of this, and wonder if this is what all the drama is about. They need it to get back to being 'clean' but are so reliant on Horner etc making everything work that they dont know what to do next.
AWT?
JT? He's a wrongun.
And to the woman in question here..... I really hope she walks away with enough in the bank and the sort of reference that allows her to get he life together again. I really hate this shit.
Max fits in with the younger generation - he's constantly live streaming on SIM racing. Doesn't appeal to me but does to many kids.
Checo - really popular in South America and malleable!
Daniel - the smile act is wearing thin for me. He's been average since his comeback. I think this could be his last season in the RB camp.
Yuki - only there because of Honda. He'll be in VCARB next season again, but I can't see who else would take him.
^^^ that pic of Karen & Geri hugging......it looks to me like he's pinched her right arm bingo wing. I can't imagine it would be easy to do that by accident, especially as she's pretty slim, so there's not a lot to pinch there. Bloody painful to be pinched there, too.
Her left arm position looks like she's trying to reach up & pull his arm away to release the pinch on the right arm.
Weird.
This crap isn't doing anyone any good & the employee being suspended is just another level of PR mishandling. It just looks terrible and if they keep this up, isn't going to go away for a while.
I cant imagine that the parent Red Bull company are happy with any of this, and wonder if this is what all the drama is about. They need it to get back to being ‘clean’ but are so reliant on Horner etc making everything work that they dont know what to do next.
As I understand it, the F1 team is an independent business from the drinks company. It took over the old Jaguar F1 team, but was built into a championship contender by Horner and Newey. Dietrich Mateschitz gave Horner autonomy and pretty much a blank cheque, but put Helmut Marko in as a consultant to keep an eye on things. Mateschitz built Red Bull as a company by selling drinks based on a Thai energy drink owned by the Yoovidhya family, so the Yoovidhya's own 51% of Red Bull. Apparently, Horner has been trying to buy out the F1 team but the Austrian side apparently want to take control back. Horner has the backing of the Thai side though, so this looks like an attempt to discredit him and let Marko take control back.
Joe Saward has an excellent column on it. He's fairly careful, I assume the threat of lawsuits is hanging over every journalist who reports on it. Saward does note that the screenshots of the text messages taken many months ago indicate "CH typing". I think this is meant to imply that this was a honeytrap, where the female employee initially consented but then later complained about unwanted attention (because it's implying that the screenshots were taken many months before the complaint was made). If the KC's finding was that the evidence wasn't credible and that the female employee was not honest about the facts, that would justify retaining Horner and suspending the female employee. But, who really knows?