The well oiled winning machine that was Red Bull Racing in 2023 is now running with three wheels on the proverbial wagon. This season began with paddock uproar over allegations made about team boss Christian Horner’s behaviour, from which he was later cleared.

Max Verstappen added to the turmoil suggesting under certain circumstances he could leave the Milton Keynes team. He pledged his loyalty to Dr. Helmut Mark who he claimed “built the team from nothing” together with the late Red Bull energy drinks empire founder Didi Mateschitz.

The world champions began the season in their inimitable fashion winning five of the first six races, the exception being Carlos victory in Melbourne when a mechanical failure in Verstappen’s RB20 forced him to retire early in the race.

 

 

 

Red Bull unexplained U-Turn

Following Max’s victory in Emilia-Romagne the Red Bull squad led the team championship by 56 points from Ferrari and Verstappen led Charles Leclerc by 48 points. The next eight races before the summer break saw a big shift in the pecking order as Ferrari fell away from the front and McLaren together with Mercedes became the main challengers to the world champions.

In that time, Max extended his lead in the drivers championship to 78 points but now his nearest challenger is Lando Norris. Meanwhile with Perez in horrible form, the constructors’ title race is now much closer with McLaren now within 42 points of Christian Horner’s squad, and closing rapidly.

Over the same eight races Perez scored just 28 points and slipped from P3 in the drivers table down to P8 behind the rest of the front four teams’ pilots.

At the summer break last season Red Bull had a lead of 256 points over second place Mercedes and Max Verstappen was just four races from claiming his third world championship and much of the reason for this slump is the poor returns from Checo. Form many F1 paddock observers it appeared inevitable that the Mexican driver would be given his marching orders before the first race back in Zandvoort, yet after a short meeting in M Milton Keynes the day following the Belgium Grand Prix, up went the white smoke to the announcement of “no change occurring here”, Sergio is staying.

Allegations Disney ‘leant’ on Red Bull over ditching Perez

 

 

 

Verstappen stokes Ricciardo rumours

On their way out of the circuit in Spa Francorchamps, Max Verstappen and Daniel Ricciardo took a helicopter together and recorded a joint video of them giving the thumbs up to the lyrics, “Hello, I’ve got places to be.”

Ricciardo had been repeatedly questioned over whether he would be offered his old seat back on the other side of the garage to Max Verstappen. His final response suggested it could be on the cars as the Aussie playfully remarked, “I’ll be keeping my phone switched on.”

Less than 18 hours later following a brief session in Milton Keynes, the news was that Sergio Perez had been given a stay of execution, although reports emerged that Disney and Liberty Media had sought to influence the decision of Red Bull Racing.

Even more shocking is the emerging news that Max Verstappen had been told by both Christian Horner and Dr. Helmut Marko that Perez “was gone.” Having qualified well and after grid drop penalties were applied, Checo had started the Belgium Grand Prix in second place, but the Mexican after a miserable outing took the chequered flag way down in P8.

F1 team boss now says Horner should’ve ditched Perez

 

 

 

Horner tells Max: “Perez is gone”

Dr. Helmut Marko was scathing, describing Perez’s performance to Sky Germany: “Sergio had the opportunity to take a good result from second place. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Especially in the last stint, he completely collapsed. “What looked so positive in qualifying unfortunately didn’t materialise in the race.”

The previous weekend, Christian Horner for the first time this season admitted Checo’s lack of points was ultimately “unsustainable,” and so the expectations were raised that Sergio Perez wold be taking an extended summer vacation.

F1-insider, a publication known to be close to Dr. Marko, reports Max and his father Jos Verstappen had been informed before leaving Belgium last Sunday that the Verstappen’s were told by Christian Horner: ”Perez is gone, Max Verstappen will get a new teammate in the first race after the summer break at the home race in Zandvoort.”

Whether this inspired the mischief making video posted by Verstappen and Ricciardo, is for now speculation. Yet something radically changed over the next 24 hours and for now Checo remains at RBR.

Alpine boss says “no” to Mercedes

 

 

 

Horner and Marko disagree

Amidst reports of influence being applied from Liberty Media and Disney, the reality behind the scenes is the Marko and Horner fundamentally disagree over who should replace Sergio Perez. Marko has in recent weeks been regularly promoting the talent of the Red Bull academy drivers wanting Ricciardo out and Liam Lawson in.

The 81 year old Austrian had also suggested that the recent agreement secured from the FIA to vary the regulation which requires all F1 drivers to be at least 18 years of age, could benefit Red Bull junior Arvin Lindblad. Yet the F3 driver turns 18 next week and as such would no longer require such special dispensation to race.

Horner recruited Daniel Ricciardo against the advice of Marko, who was forced to admit his preferred choice of Nyck de Vries had failed after just ten races in 2023. Ricciardo was then drafted in as his replacement but missed five of the remaining twelve race weekends after breaking his hand in practice for the Dutch GP.

Paddock insider explains Sainz move to Williams

 

 

 

‘Last chance saloon’ for Checo

Whatever the cause of the U-Turn, Perez will remain under review when F1 returns in three weeks time. There are four races before another month long break after the Singapore GP, before the racing resumes with the final six races taking place in just eight weeks.

It has been suggested this is the last chance saloon for Checo and if the gap to McLaren continues to close, Red Bull will roll the dice giving Ricciardo one last chance alongside Max, with six races remaining to prove he is worth his place in the Red Bull F1 family.

Piastri admits unlikely to help Norris in title fight

 

 

 

Red Bull Racing ‘turmoil’ as senior member SHOCK departure

In a major development in the world of Formula One, Red Bull Racing has announced the departure of long-serving sporting director Jonathan Wheatley, who will join the Audi Formula One project as team principal. Wheatley’s departure, which comes after an illustrious 18-year tenure with Red Bull, underlines a worrying trend of senior figures leaving the team and may be indicative of deeper problems within the organisation.

Jonathan Wheatley has been a key figure at Red Bull Racing since his recruitment from Renault in 2006. His tenure has been marked by unparalleled success, including multiple Constructors’ World Championship titles and a consistent record in the DHL Formula 1 Best Pit Stop Award.

Wheatley’s strategic and operational expertise has been integral to Red Bull’s dominance in recent years… READ MORE