Red Bull trio speak up on the situation around Christian Horner as they gear up for the 2024 F1 season, with ‘team spirit’ being the chatter.
Even with the championship in the bag last year and a chance to repeat the glory in 2024, Red Bull has been shaken up in the winter after team principal Horner has been put under investigation after inappropriate behaviour against a female employee.
Red Bull GmbH is overlooking at things with the case being more about coercive behaviour. The first meet is done via an independent barrister, but no decision will be made anytime soon. Things could even stretch towards the first or second round even.
But for now, Horner is representing Red Bull as its team principal during the RB20 launch event from Milton Keynes. There was not much in-depth chatter about the topic whether from Horner or even drivers Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez.
Horner admits it to be a distraction but stresses on things being normal and their work not being hampered as well. He points towards unity not just within the F1 team, but in the whole organisation with Verstappen and Perez concurring as well.
Distraction, focus –
Horner: “Inevitably there has been a distraction, but the team are very together. Everybody’s focused on their own stuff. We’ve focused on the season ahead, so it’s been very much business as normal. And the support has been fantastic. Obviously, my focus is very much on the season ahead. It has been business as normal. Obviously, there is an investigation that I’m obviously complying and working with fully. But that is very much going on in the background whilst preparing for the season ahead.”
Team going forward, season prep –
Horner: “I think that the team are gearing up for the season ahead. And they’re in very good shape. We are fully focused on racing, looking forward to being in Bahrain next week. And seeing RB20 run and the one thing that focuses everybody’s attention is the car, we’re very united and together in that focus. My focus is very much on the year ahead and the racing ahead of us. I think the whole team is proud of what we have achieved in the last 19 seasons, but it’s always what lies ahead of you rather than what’s behind you, but with great pride in what we’ve done in 19 years as we come into our 20th season. There’s some big moments, some real highs, a few lows in there, but some outstanding performances.
Unity across Red Bull family –
Horner: “We’re very united, we’ve always had tremendous support from the shareholders since Dietrich’s passing. The shareholders have been incredibly supportive. You can see the level of investment that there is in the campus here with the Powertrain, for the future of Formula 1, we are one team.”
Relation with Horner, whether distraction –
Verstappen: “I don’t know who likes to write this kind of thing but to me Christian is as always. From my side, I am very focused on my own goals to get ready, to be fit, to be ready to drive the car, to be discussing things with the engineers what you want to do plus my life not only Formula One. When I am at home, I prefer not to think about F1 too much outside of my schedule training. There are lot of things going on in the background for me also, what I want to do in the future. Also from the virtual side of things, I am more than busy when I am home.”
Distraction or not, mood –
Perez: “Well, we just want to go racing, we are a race team and we want the whole team to stay together because we have been so successful and it will be ideal just to keep the whole team together and just focus around racing. Obviously there are some things out there but most importantly we stay together as a team, we work well and the main goal remembering that we are here for racing and we are a race team. And that we love it and we just go racing together and we know that Christian is a key player in our organisation.
Here’s Red Bull F1 2024 launch
Here’s more on Christian Horner case
Here’s Guenther Steiner on Red Bull domination
Here’s Alexander Albon on Helmut Marko’s role in F1 drive
Here’s Lando Norris on Max Verstappen not being BFF
Here’s Daniel Ricciardo on happy with Red Bull rumour
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