27/02/2024
NEWS STORY
Christian Horner has reacted to increasing unease within the paddock at the fact that Red Bull owns two teams.
Much of the criticism has come from Zak Brown, who claims that the relationship between Red Bull and RB (formerly AlphaTauri) allows the Faenza-based outfit to share components and also allowed the senior team to switch its focus to this year's car early last season whilst its 'sister' continued to develop components for use by both this year.
Brown isn't alone in his criticism of the situation however, with Toto Wolff and Frederic Vasseur having also expressed unease.
Speaking in Bahrain, Horner defended the situation, suggesting that rivals critical of Red Bull's ownership of two teams should see the situation in context.
"One has to take a look back at the history of where this started and why that ownership is as it is now," said the Briton. "Bernie Ecclestone and Max Mosley approached Dietrich Mateschitz back in 2005 to acquire what was then the Minardi Formula 1 team which was perennially struggling and on the brink of bankruptcy. Dietrich stepped in, acquired the team, shored it up, and then invested significantly in their Faenza facilities in Italy.
"We then faced the financial crisis in 2008, as other manufacturers chose that opportunity to leave the sport - I think four of them left at that point - but Red Bull remained resolute and continued to support both teams through that difficult period.
"The regulations then evolved and Faenza had to become its own manufacturer, so investment was made in the infrastructure. We then had Covid, where Red Bull again stepped up and stuck by both teams. In fact, Red Bull was responsible for getting F1 going again after Covid with two races that were introduced after the pandemic.
"So the commitment that Red Bull has made to F1 and these two teams is outstanding and should be applauded and be grateful for rather than derided and trying to compromise."
In terms of RB gaining an advantage through its ties to the world champions, he said: "The two teams are totally separate. One is based in Italy and one is based in the UK. The one that is based in Italy has a far larger turnover of staff that end up at Maranello than end up in Milton Keynes.
"They have different personalities, they have different characters and they comply continually with the regulations," he added. "Indeed, the relationship is far less tight than some of the teams that enjoy very tight relationships with their engine manufacturers.
"I would take it as a compliment, if I was Laurent, if the issue was being raised now because of the change of stewardship," he continued. "The team had the opportunity to get its act together, they have two quality drivers, they're introducing quality people into the team and we expect them to be a competitor, not just to the rest of the field, but indeed Red Bull Racing.
"We are racers, there are no pre-set rules, there are no agreements between the teams and I think you can pick out many highlights or scenarios where that has been the case over the years, with even Toro Rosso cars parking in our pit garage during a championship-deciding race.
"So I don't understand the fuss, I don't understand the noise that has been created, and I think Red Bull should actually be applauded for the support, the commitment and the jobs they have provided through the good times and particularly the bad times. So for me, it really is a non-issue."
Indeed, he is correct.
In these days of wildly inflated valuations of the teams, it is all too easy to forget those turbulent times when manufacturers were entering and leaving the sport as if through a revolving door, and when, other than the threat of a breakaway series, new teams had to be enticed with the promise of cheap and engines and a level playing field, neither of which proved true.
Not that long ago, and certainly when Mateschitz twice got out his cheque book, the standing joke was that to make a small fortune from F1 you had to start off with a large fortune.
All too often, we feared that one day Mateschitz might wake up and ask himself 'why am I doing this' and pull the plug, thereby causing the sport to lose two teams. Yet he stuck with it, not only in terms of his title winning outfit but its sister outfit, which, although a proving ground for future stars, for the most part remained a perennial struggler.
Never forget that the perennially whining Brown is an employee at Bahraini-funded McLaren, Mateschitz put his money where his mouth was... had he not, it is entirely possible that the sport may not have survived, certainly in the sort of shape that attracted Liberty Media to make its bid.