Horner’s professional trajectory is still being determined
A month has passed since Christian Horner assumed the role of team principal at Red Bull following a female employee-leveled allegations of inappropriate conduct against him. He was acquitted on Wednesday in Bahrain following an investigation initiated by the team’s parent company. Thursday, an email containing purportedly screenshots of communications between Horner and the employee who complained was released to F1, teams, the press, and the FIA. He must have believed that the worst had passed. Their integrity has yet to be established, but that was sufficient to reignite the commotion and increase the pressure on Horner.
With Red Bull, he battened down the hatches, declining to remark on the leak or confirm or deny the authenticity of the messages. Simultaneously, other teams advocated for transparency. It is widely believed that both F1 and the FIA are highly concerned about how this affects the sport. Horner was optimistic following the race and insisted he was not relocating. Still, his position remains precarious in light of everything that has transpired, not to mention that Jos, the father of Max Verstappen, vehemently disputed responsibility for the leaked email and made his stance crystal clear on Saturday. He stated, “Tenseness exists here while he maintains his position.” “The group is at risk of disintegrating.”
Again, Verstappen is in the lead
At the onset of the weekend, Max Verstappen was irritable in the car due to his initial outing in preseason practice, which he deemed unbalanced. His lap was not unquestionably dominant during training, and only when qualifying did he achieve such. Then, after refining his performance, he effortlessly obtained the vehicle. His prime position was two-tenths behind that of Charles Leclerc of Ferrari. It proved that the race pace was precisely what was most dreaded. The Dutchman led the field by as much as a second per circuit for most of the race. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff compared Verstappen and the vehicle to an alien planet, and he, along with several other drivers, virtually conceded that the championship had been decided. Even more problematic was the fact that Verstappen almost certainly possessed considerably more.
Mercedes must continue to advance
Compared to the preceding two years, this opening continues to be optimistic for Mercedes. Lewis Hamilton and George Russell finished seventh and fifth, respectively, but they are, for the time being, relieved that the vehicle is a sturdy and dependable foundation. Russell observed that the previous incarnations’ rear instability had been resolved, instilling both drivers a renewed sense of assurance to approach corners. Their race was significantly impeded by a refrigeration issue that required them to reduce the power of both vehicles’ engines.
Ferrari has the upper hand
Ferrari established in Bahrain that they are leading the pack in the race to capture Red Bull, and they concur that they are in an even stronger position to close the gap and contend for victories this year. The drivers immediately displayed a great deal more assurance in the vehicle. Carlos Sainz finished in third place within 2.5 seconds of Sergio Pérez, who finished in second place with Red Bull. Notably, his 25-second lead over Verstappen was nearly half what it had been at the beginning of 2023. There is still a significant disparity. Still, team principal Fred Vasseur anticipated that the next two rounds in Saudi Arabia and Australia would provide a more accurate depiction of the gap.
Alpine regions must ascend a mountain
This began disastrously, even for a manufacturer formulating a five-year strategy to return to contending for championships for nearly five years. Initial expectations were low, considering the A524’s overweight condition, inadequate aerodynamic performance and traction, and testing difficulties. However, as soon as the mittens were removed, the magnitude of the problem became alarmingly apparent. Pierre Gasly and Esteban Ocon qualified at the rear of the grid and placed seventeenth and eighteenth, respectively.
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It was reported following the race that two critical members of the squad, technical director Matt Harman and head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer, had already tendered their resignations. Though Alpine has not yet confirmed the rumor, it is believed that both individuals submitted their notices last month. Bruno Famin, the team’s principal, acknowledged that the performance was not unforeseen. “We anticipated a difficult start to the season, and that has certainly been the situation in Bahrain,” he explained.
