Max Verstappen (l.) won the first race of the new Formula 1 season in Bahrain. His victory is overshadowed by the allegations against Red Bull team boss Christian Horner. (IMAGO / Eibner / IMAGO / Photo: EIBNER / Thomas Fuessler)
Formula 1 started the new season in Bahrain. The dominator is always the same: Max Verstappen from Red Bull secured victory – with a whopping 22 seconds lead over teammate Sergio Pérez and 25 seconds ahead of Carlos Sainz in the Ferrari.
“Unfortunately, you have to say that nothing has changed in the pecking order that has been built up over the past two years,” said Formula 1 expert Anno Hecker, sports director of the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, on Deutschlandfunk.
Mercedes crossed the finish line with George Russel in fifth place, a full 46 seconds behind Verstappen. “I thought they were further ahead,” said Hecker. “And Aston Martin is very disappointing. Well, this is the first race of 24. We have to see how it develops further. After three races we know exactly. But I would make up my mind, it will be very difficult to beat this Verstappen to beat in this car.”
Employee accuses Red Bull team boss of “inappropriate behavior”.
Despite the success, there is currently a lot of unrest in the Red Bull racing team. The reason is the allegations against team boss Christian Horner, who is said to have “behaved inappropriately” towards an employee. The parent company Red Bull had the allegations examined by an external specialist lawyer. The result: Horner remains in office.
Hecker finds it “difficult” that Red Bull itself hired this specialist lawyer. However, the FAZ journalist does not agree with the other teams’ call for more transparency: “I don’t think that is compatible with the personal rights of the people affected – both Mr. Horner and the lady. Unless someone were to sue in a public court .”
Chat logs from the case were anonymously leaked to Hecker, he said. However, he doesn’t know whether these are real chats between Horner and the employee. “But what it shows is that someone has a very strong interest in removing Mr. Horner from this team. And in my view, that can only be someone who has access to this information. And only someone can do that be part of the group.”
Anonymous email to all journalists and team bosses
The anonymous email was sent to all accredited journalists, all team bosses and other organizations, said Hecker. “You have to ask yourself how someone actually gets all this data. Not everyone has the personal email addresses of the team bosses. But just as interesting was an incendiary letter from Horner’s lawyers, which said that “We are not allowed to distribute these – that was the wording – possibly false chats. What is interesting is that they leave the authenticity of these chats open.”
In any case, the issue is not over, said Hecker: “Red Bull will not calm down. Red Bull is facing a test that will have no short-term impact because Mr. Horner doesn’t build the car and doesn’t drive it. But he was the man , who has held the team together over the last 20 years and led to so many successes. And when a man like that leaves, there is a new power structure in the team. And whether that works in the medium or long term is the question.”