There never seems to be a dull moment in Formula One, especially when it comes to Red Bull Racing and their team principal, Christian Horner. The latest episode in this ongoing drama came a week after a heated exchange with Jos Verstappen and Christian Horner at Spielberg, now McLaren boss Zak Brown has aimed vitriol at Horner and his team during a press conference at Silverstone on Friday.

The catalyst for Brown’s criticism was the behaviour of Red Bull officials following the collision between Lando Norris and Max Verstappen at the Austrian Grand Prix. British team McLaren set the pace in practice for their home race in Great Britain, both on the laps and in the long runs, but are not too proud of their performance.

 

 

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“I don’t think we should focus too much on the championship, especially second place,” said team boss Andrea Stella after Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri finished first and second on Friday. The threat of rain had thrown the teams’ programmes into disarray.

“Everyone knew the rain was coming, so some drivers like Max [Verstappen] went for new tyres and low fuel very early and then concentrated on race preparation,” explained the Italian.

“We went for a more normal timing, so we did our lap a little later. I’m not looking too much at the result, but there are encouraging signs in both sessions in terms of one-lap pace and long runs,” said Stella.

McLaren had a lead of 0.434 seconds over its direct rivals on the lap, and a little less on the long run – but still a lead. Norris had a strong long run in the high 1:31s on medium tyres. Verstappen was almost as fast on the same tyres, but was on average one to two tenths of a second slower per lap.

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Norris: Feeling in the car has improved

Norris himself described Friday as a “good start to the weekend”, even though he felt the two sessions were “not entirely clean”.

“I didn’t feel too comfortable this morning, but we made some changes during the session and I got into a much better window, which is pretty important here,” he said.

“We made good progress. It was quite close, the Mercedes seemed to be as quick as us, but they weren’t revving the engine. I think we’re in a good position, but we need to find a bit more,” said Norris.

Team-mate Oscar Piastri also thought McLaren had a good day.

“The car felt pretty good, but there are still a few things I need to sort out. But all in all, a good Friday,” he concluded. Only in the first session did he have a small cause for concern when he rolled out in the closing stages and stopped in the pit lane. According to Stella, it was a problem with the fuel system.

“But we found the problem and fixed it,” he says. “We’re not worried about it happening again. We understand what happened.”

 

 

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Fastest car? Stella keeps cards close

In terms of sport, the Australian was quite impressed with the rest of Friday: “It’s interesting to see what the others are doing and if we can maintain our lead over the weekend – that would be good. But I’m not sure we can,” said Piastri. Stella wouldn’t go that far: “First of all I would say that the drivers don’t feel very comfortable,” he said, blocking questions about the fastest car.

“We have a few problems. Braking for Turn 3 is difficult. There have been a lot of laps where we haven’t been able to get around the corners. The high speed corners are also difficult for the MCL38 as the car is hard to drive,

“We have our opportunities to improve, but generally as a package it looks competitive. In some ways I’m a bit surprised by the lap times, but as I said, I don’t want to read too much into it. I want us to focus on ourselves. Our goal for tonight is to work with the factory to improve,” said Stella.

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Lando Norris ready for British rain

Another factor is likely to be the British weather, which showed its unpredictable side on Friday. If it rains on Sunday, Norris will be ready: “I think so,” he laughs.

“He is happy to race in either condition, as long as it is consistently one of the two,

“But for the home race you would probably prefer it to be dry. Because it looks like we’re in a good position and I don’t want to stray too far from that,” says the British driver.

“But it’s Silverstone, it’s England. I’m ready for anything, but I’d prefer it to stay dry….”

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Zak Brown slams Christian Horner

Returning to the central controversy, Zak Brown expressed his disappointment with Red Bull’s leadership and their approach to race incidents, in particular the aftermath of Austria.

“I’m disappointed that with a great team like Red Bull, if you listen to the comments on the radio [to Verstappen] and what has been said, it almost encouraging from the leaders,” said Brown, reflecting on the Norris-Verstappen dispute.

He emphasised the importance of leadership in guiding the drivers: “We all have a responsibility in the command post to tell our drivers what to do, what not to do and what is going on in the race.”

Brown also highlighted a wider issue of respect for the rules within the sport, pointing to Red Bull’s past infractions. “We have to have respect for the rules and we have seen a lack of respect there, whether it was financial rules,” he said, alluding to Red Bull’s breach of the budget cap,

“or whether it was sporting rules, yes, even problems with fathers on the track and things like that.”

 

 

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Call for responsible leadership

The McLaren boss did not hold back in his criticism of Red Bull’s leadership.

“I just don’t think we need to race like that, we need to show our drivers what’s right and what’s wrong. And I think if that had happened earlier, maybe this incident wouldn’t have happened,” said Brown. He believes Verstappen’s on-track behaviour is a reflection of Red Bull’s approach.

“If nobody tells Max that it’s against the rules, he’ll never know any better,” he said, pointing to a perceived lack of guidance for the Red Bull driver. Brown also saw it as a missed opportunity for the stewards: “It’s a racing incident, but it could have been avoided if the command post and the stewards had more control over what the rules allow and don’t allow.”

Brown’s comments extended to Horner, who was not present at the press conference.

“I’m not interested in talking to Christian,” he said, suggesting that the role of managing these issues should fall to the FIA.

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Helmut Marko’s retort and the Mercedes perspective

Joining Brown at the press conference was Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, known for his own contentious relationship with Horner. Wolff agreed with Brown’s views: “I tend to agree with Zak. It’s always amusing to see these one-dimensional comments from team bosses that make you think: let’s at least be a little objective.”

Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, Helmut Marko, took a different view. Marko dismissed Brown’s comments and turned his attention to Norris.

“I was very disappointed with the way Norris complained like a bitch during a great fight,” said Marko, clearly unimpressed with the McLaren driver’s reaction. He suggested that Brown should focus on the behaviour of his own team: “Maybe he should look for the line within his own team,” adding, “Just let them race.”

Marko’s comments highlight the wider tensions within the sport, where intense competition often leads to public spats between team bosses and drivers alike. The Austrian’s outspokenness is nothing new, and his comments have added fuel to an already blazing fire.

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The role of the FIA

Brown’s call for the FIA to take a more active role in managing the behaviour of teams and drivers underlines the challenges facing the sport’s governing body. The FIA is tasked with maintaining fairness and enforcing the rules, a role that is becoming increasingly difficult in the high-stakes environment of Formula One.

The decisions of the stewards are often scrutinised and their ability to enforce the rules consistently is vital to the integrity of the sport. Brown’s comments suggest that there is room for improvement in how incidents are handled and how drivers are educated about the rules.

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Looking ahead to the British Grand Prix

As the teams prepare for the British Grand Prix, the focus shifts back to the track. McLaren’s performance in practice has raised questions about their potential this weekend. Despite Stella’s cautious optimism, the team’s pace has been impressive.

Norris and Piastri’s strong performance in practice suggests that McLaren could be a serious contender. The unpredictability of the British weather adds another layer of complexity, with rain potentially playing a significant role in Sunday’s race.

For McLaren, the British Grand Prix is not only a test of speed, but also a test of character. The team’s ability to maintain their composure amidst the ongoing drama with Red Bull will be crucial. Norris and Piastri will have to translate their practice performances into race results, while Stella and Brown will have to navigate the political and psychological battles off the track.

Red Bull, on the other hand will be looking to reassert their dominance. Verstappen’s championship ambitions depend on consistent performance, and the team’s ability to manage internal and external pressures will be put to the test.

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