18/06/2024
NEWS STORY
McLaren boss, Zak Brown doubles down on previous comments about Red Bull, claiming that the atmosphere within the Austrian team is toxic.
You've got to hand it to the man... he has to be one of the busiest people not only in F1, but in the world.
When he's not at a Grand Prix, he's at IndyCar, WEC, Formula E indeed anywhere there appears to be a race, journalists and microphones.
Having previously opined that all the F1 teams are worth "north of £1bn", that Monaco isn't really needed now that we have Vegas and Jeddah and that pit stops would improve the Sprints, the American has returned to his favourite subject, the perceived issues at Red Bull.
Previously claiming that his desk is awash with CVs from personnel seeking to escape the Austrian team, Brown now warns that the atmosphere within the team is toxic.
"Red Bull is a pretty toxic environment right now," he tells Bloomberg. "There is more to come," he warns. Newey's departure is an important one, because I think a lot of people at Red Bull started working with him. I already mentioned that there were resumes circulating.
"That happens all the time," he adds, "but you see a higher level of discomfort. I also think that in the future it will be more difficult with sponsors, because they are going to examine carefully what they are associated with. That's a tricky situation."
Being a marketing man of no little experience, some might see that as a deliberate move to create concern not only among Red Bull's existing sponsors but those the Austrian team is looking at. Indeed, one might almost suggest that the American is, in a way, trying to cancel the rival outfit, using the (sadly unresolved) Horner saga as a means of destabilising his rivals.
"You have the whole Verstappen drama," he adds. "Is he staying or is he leaving? Max has a contract, only his father is pretty outspoken.
"Red Bull is a great racing team, but destabilised," he says, without a hint of irony. "You can see that with Newey leaving. However, you can never erase them. As I said, they are an incredible team, just by my reasoning, they are not as strong as they used to be.
"If I look at who has the best path of visibility and momentum right now, it's Ferrari and McLaren. Things can change quickly though, so we have to keep both feet on the ground."
Other than the fact that such comments almost want one to support Red Bull in its efforts, one has to admit that even in the darkest days of the Piranha Club, the likes of Ron Dennis would never stop to such obvious, petty lengths.
And talking of Adrian Newey, is anyone else surprised that there has been no official reaction to Tom Rubython's claim - via his infamous BusinessF1 magazine - that the design guru signed a three-year deal with Ferrari worth $107m ahead of the Miami Grand Prix.
Of course, other than consistently stirring the pot over the Horner saga, the magazine is understood to be at the heart of a number of ongoing, unresolved controversies, not least the claim that Toto Wolff and his wife had shared insider information, a claim that got the Austrian and just about every single F1 team hot under the collar.
According to the magazine, the deal was negotiated by Newey's manager, Eddie Jordan, and sees the Briton's salary increased by 50% of what he was being paid at Red Bull.