Growing tension
These are days of great tension at Red Bull and obviously the start of the 2024 season is not the only topic occupying the thoughts of those who work within the reigning world champion team. The story concerning the team principal Christian Horner is continuing to hold sway. Those who expected that the acquittal from the independent internal investigation would put an end to speculation on the future of the English manager were disappointed: the anonymous email arrived Thursday in the inbox of half the paddock, from journalists to the top management of FOM, FIA and F1, passing through the team principals of the other teams, has increased the media pressure around Horner.
The pre-Bahrain speech in Milton Keynes
It is no coincidence that they are in the last hours all the big shots of the Austrian giant have landed in Bahrain, from Mark Mateschitz – son of the late Dietrich – to Chalerm Yoovidhya, the founder of the Thai Yoovidhya family who founded Red Bull. But the situation concerning Horner is also delicate in that of Milton Keynes. The Red Bull team principal, before leaving for Bahrain, held – in the presence of all the employees of the English factory – the traditional speech at the start of the season. Those who were present spoke of how a certain emotion inevitably shone through from Horner, who dedicated 20 years of his life to the Red Bull project.
What future for the world champions?
The 50-year-old manager obviously did not reveal specific details of the situation in which he is protagonist but, as Max Verstappen also confirmed, it is logical that these days his attention cannot be focused only on what happens on the track. The work routine of the team in the United Kingdom is proceeding as usual and the common hope is for a rapid (as far as possible) resolution of the matter.
Many of the people currently working in Milton Keynes were brought there directly by Horner and it is understandable that a very strong bond between the team and its top manager. Obviously the matter will have to have its correct legal development, which will now involve not only Red Bull alone but the F1 and FIA leaders themselves. From an exclusively sporting point of view, however, it is easy to think that for many in Milton Keynes a Horner's farewell would be a blow that is not easy to digest.
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