The 2024 Formula One season was always set to be the launchpad for big driver line up changes across the grid with more than half the current field out of contract at the end of this year. Lewis Hamilton then upped the anti with the announcement of his departure to Maranello for 2025, creating a much sought after seat amongst what has been F1’s ‘big three’ teams for some years.

Yet Mercedes have struggled since the advent of the ground effect cars in 2022 and after another poor start to a third season in a row, the team now lies fourth in the constructors’ title race, just a point ahead of Aston Martin in fifth.

 

 

 

Verstappen threatens to leave RBR

The troubles for the once dominant F1 team are set to continue next time out in Japan as the Suzuka circuit is another’ front end limited’ track which suits the recent design of the Ferrari cars. McLaren too expect to go well in the ‘Land of the rising sun’ as the high speed track layout with fast turns also suits their breed of F1 car. So as in Australia, its probable Mercedes will be battling with Aston Martin for the minor points only until they better understand how to set up the troublesome W15.

With Red Bull leading the way again this year with another car design that leads the F1 field it seems likely it will be one of their pilots claiming the next two drivers’ titles on offer before the next big FIA design rule change for 2026.

In normal circumstances it would be inconceivable that the successful partnership between the Milton Keynes based team and superstar driver Max Verstappen would be set in stone until his contract expires four more seasons from now. Yet all the was thrown into doubt at the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix when the triple world champion made it clear he would leave Red Bull Racing if his mentor Dr. Helmut Marko was not retained.

Marko himself had stated he could be suspended at any moment, presumably as Red Bull continue their enquiry into who sent the anonymous email to 149 senior F1 paddock figures, claiming to contain documents from the investigation instigated after a female employee accused team boss Christian Horner of  “controlling and inappropriate behaviour.”

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Horner asserts himself

Horner was cleared following the report of a senior Kings Counsel barrister, but the female employee is now appealing that decision. Her legal team have let it be known if the appeal is unsuccessful, she is likely to take the issue into the public domain and request an employment tribunal hearing from the British courts.

Should this happen the appointed legal adjudicators are unlikely to force the hearing to be held behind closed doors and all the rumours and murmuring over what really went on will be open for the whole world to see.

Further, the new legal representatives of the female employee are believed to have lodged a complaint with the FIA over Horner’s behaviour given he represents the world motorsport council and may have brought them and F1 into disrepute.

The Red Bull team boss gathered himself well after the bombshell news dropped that Max Verstappen was considering leaving the team and responded with a show of force stating that he would now force any employee to remain at Red Bull, regardless of the obligations stated in their“piece of paper” contract. Further Horner publicly warned Max that “no individual is bigger than the team.”

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Mercedes roll out red carpet for Max

Whilst for now the fires have been dampened down at Red Bull, they will undoubtably fire up again when the news of the decision is revealed of the female employees appeal.

Max Verstappen sought to calm down tensions following his and Horner’s standoff by stating in Australia he would most probably see out his contract with the world champions until 2028. But it was not the usual categoric assertion that would be expected in these circumstances.

Of course having debated Max alternatives to remaining with the team that has brought him great success are limited. As discussed Mercedes are not where they once were and look as though 2024 and 2025 will again be long hard seasons with few rewards.

That said Toto Wolff has done his best to maximise Red Bull’s pain by openly courting Max Verstappen as the Lewis Hamilton replacement next year. According to Mirror Sport, Wolff has sought to capitalise on the dispute by holding private talks with both members of the Verstappen family and was seen eating lunch in Bahrain with Dr. Helmut Marko.

New evidence F1 is in trouble

 

 

 

Max’s long term commitment unconvincing

So the question is what will Red Bull’s response be to the rather vague assertion in Melbourne that is was Max’s “intention” to see out the remainder of the years on his contract?

Of course if Max were to leave the team it would be under a cloud and he could easily do a Lewis Hamilton by hiding his move until the most uncomfortable moment in time for the team to deal with it.

With top F1 drivers out of contract this year, to a certain degree Red Bull almost have their pick of the field to replace either Verstappen of the out of contract Sergio Perez.

Whilst scrutiny for nigh on two years has been around Checo’s performances and his potential replacement, the Verstappen threat of leaving is causing Red Bull a serious problem. Should this happen they the common consensus int he paddock is they would replace him Fernando Alonso, a double world champion in his own right.

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Alonso a win-win recruitment

Yet if Verstappen was to stay and Sergio leave, Horner has previously indicated he would prefer not to have two “Alpha Male” drivers in the Red Bull garage. Yet this statement was made before Max’s threats to leave the team. With the cosy inner circle of the F1 world champions now shattered and trust running in short supply, Horner could easily act in a fashion designed not to ‘pander’ to the Verstappen’s and assert his authority within the team.

By recruiting Fernando Alonso to replace Checo, this would send the strongest message to Verstappen that the team have made up their mind over his threat and will not be deterred however great their number one driver is.

Since arriving at Aston Martin, the 42 year old Spaniard has scored 222 of the team’s 305 points as his team mate and son of the team’s billionaire boss flounders from week to week and Pedro de la Rosa describes Fernando as still “a beast.”

Horner accuser threatens “more details”

 

 

 

Max v Fernando: ‘Box office’

However there are those who believe pairing Alonso and Verstappen is an absolute no-no and Christian Albers argues this would be a disaster for the team.

In terms of fan support, by recruiting Alonso, Christian Horner would overturn some of the prejudice he claims the British public and media have against his team because of the perceived lack of imagination in their driver line up. And in one fell swoop Red Bull have covered off the possibility of a late announcement from Max that he is off to pastures new next year.

Alonso v Verstappen in the same machinery would be ‘box office’ and likely turnaround F1’s failing TV audience once again.

Horner accuser Red Bull return: threatens more details

 

 

 

Ferrari ‘secret weapon’ appears

Ferrari boss reveals 2024 secret improvement. Ferrari have come out of the blocks for the 2024 Formula One season as the clearest challenger to the mighty Red Bull Racing dynasty. Despite the world champions claiming 1-2 finishes in the first two races, Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz was there in Bahrain to pick up the third place podium honours.

Then with Sainz absent in Jeddah due to appendicitis the team it was team mate Charles Leclerc who claimed the final step on the podium while rookie debutant Oli Baerman came home a respectable seventh ahead of both Hamilton and Lando Norris… READ MORE: