Last Updated on September 27 2024, 3:23 am

Red Bull F1 Racing are which isn know in the UK as – marmite (Vegemite in Australia). The yeast based spread for toast and other flour based products is either loved or hated in equal measure, there no ambiguity about a persons reaction to marmite and it seems Red Bull Racing is the same.

Of course for the Hamfosi, Red Bull F1 is Satan incarnate and are blamed for the events of 2021 when Lewis Hamilton was “robbed” of a record eight title by Max Verstappen. 

Yet the reality is Mercedes opted under a safety car for track position. Red Bull rolled the dice and fitted Max with a new set of fresh rubber and it was this which won the day rather than Lewis being “robbed.”

 

 

 

Red Bull Rebels

The F1 team based out of Milton Keynes joined Formula One in 2005 and were built from the ashes of the failed Ford programme with Jaguar. They quickly established a reputation for being the ‘party team’, brash, loud and proud, they went about tearing up the previous paddock rule book.

Having prised Newey away from McLaren where he was unhappy, it took just five short years before Red bull were dominating F1 with driver Sebastian Vettel. They won both drivers’ and constructor titles from 2010-13 before the dawn of the new turbo hybrid power units.

Yet even during that time of dominance, Red Bull and Vettel in particular developed a core of F1 fans who disapproved of the way the team went about its business. Vettel and his single finger salute when he won inspired copies amount of new copy, while the fans at the circuit often boo’d the German driver.

Multi-21 was another storm the team had to endure. At the 2013 Malaysian Grand Prix with Webber leading from Vettel, the team issued an instruction for their drivers to hold station and bring home the 1-2 over the remaining few laps.

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Their drivers rebel

Vettel decided to ignore this instruction and in the days when drivers could turn up their engines during races, he defied the order to save the power unit and set it to full attack, while the unwitting Webber had followed the instructions tons.

Sebastian won the following duel coming home to take P1 and another win to his collection. Webber was furious and a huge media debate over the affair ensued.

Red Bull have ditched more drivers mid-season, than the rest of the current grid put together. This too has created ire from certain quarters with the suggestion from Robin Frijns, that junior drivers in the Red Bull programme are “treated like shit.”

Today Red Bull confirmed they were parting company with Daniel Ricciardo – taking place with immediate effect – and social media has caught fire with criticism for the way the team have handled the farewell of one of the best liked drivers in the last twenty years of the sport.

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Ricciardo came into the Red Bull team following the retirement of Mark Webber at the end of 2013. He immediately impressed as a top rated F1 driver, beating quadruple times world champion and team mate Sebastian Vettel.

2014 saw the introduction of the new V6 turbo hybrid power units and Mercedes aced the brief following a reported $1bn spend on research and development. Red Bull meanwhile were stuck with their Renault partners who had powered them to eight titles, but appeared to have both the lack of inclination and funds to do a proper job on the all new powertrains.

Despite this Daniel claimed three race victories in Canada, Hungary and Belgium along with five other podium finishes which compared to Vettel’s three P3’s and one P2. Such was Ricciardo’s dominance, many F1 overseers believe it was this which drove Vettel out of his Red Bull home to seek refuge and better times wit Ferrari.

The treatment by Red Bull of Daniel Ricciardo has been repeatedly described by F1 fans as “disgraceful.” If Ricciardo was to be stood down he should have had the opportunity to have a farewell F1 weekend. This is no journeyman F1 driver, he has eight Grand Prix victories and broke McLaren’s duck after a decade by winning in Monza for a team which looked liked a headless chicken that season.

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“Disgust” at Red Bull F1

Of the current drivers on the grid, only seven times champion Lewis Hamilton, triple world champion Max Verstappen and double world champion Fernando Alonso have more F1 victories than the loveable Aussie. WAIT – of course there’s Valtteri cottas with ten wins ahead of Ricciardo, but they were in a car almost unbeatable by the rest of the field on so the Finn’s record is somewhat questionable.

Whilst paddock fold all knew the impending future for Daniel, the lack of recognition of his services to F1 and Red Bull themselves has been heavily criticised. Tom Bellingham shared on X: “The decision to drop Daniel Ricciardo can be justified but what isn’t ok is to let a multiple race winner and a legend of the sport leave without a proper goodbye. Makes absolutely no sense not to announce this before Singapore.”

“I’ve got to be honest – I have BIG problems with now Red Bull and VCARB have handled Daniel Ricciardo leaving F1 He’s won SEVEN races for the RB organisation, including a legendary drive at Monaco with 160 less horsepower, and spent NINE years with the two teams Why did he not get a proper send off?” said X handle F1God

Its not just the fans who have flooded social media, but the rivals Ricciardo has taken on over his F1 years of racing. Former team mate who learned from Ricciardo, Max Verstappen wrote: “Head up mate! More beautiful moments to come.” Fellow former teammate Lando Norris wrote: “Ly brother”.

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Hamilton ‘honours’ Ricciardo

Lewis Hamilton also commented: “It’s been an honour to compete with you over the years. I’ll never forget the battles, the laughs and drinking out of your shoe. It was gross, but glad I got to do it with you bud. You leave a legacy of always being yourself, which in this sport is never easy. You’ve taken it all with the biggest smile and I salute you for it. There is so much more for you up ahead and I can’t wait to see what you do next. Always here for you, man.”

Pierre Gasly wrote, “Congrats for what you achieved champ,” while George Russell added: “Going to miss you mate”.

Red Bull have enough reasons for why neutral fans dislike the team and the treatment of Ricciardo is just another nail in their popularity coffin.

Alonso hints at his future

 

 

 

FIA fail again over new F1 calendar

Formula One today is truly a global sport and now with 24 events each year across 52 weeks the pressure is on for all involved to deliver for an extended period of time. This year there will be just over thirteen weeks between the final event of 2024 and the season opener in Melbourne on March 12-14th.

F1 now has another month long break following the Singapore Grand Prix before the first of the last six weekends of the season. When the teams arrive in Austin they are in for a gruelling schedule of three races over consecutive weeks then they take another break of two more weekends before the final triple header which includes Las Vegas, Qatar and Abu Dhabi (in order).

With six Grand prix in eight weekends, the FIA attempted to sweeten the pill for the FD1 circus by planning the four week break after Singapore. Yet for F1 fans having two one month in season breaks disrupts the routine of life and the schedules families need to plan for…. READ MORE