Races one and two of the 2024 Formula 1 calendar are in the history books, and both have been a cakewalk for Max Verstappen. Such is the Dutchman’s dominance, once he streaks off into the distance, the cameras ignore Verstappen’s presence at the head of the field and concentrate on battles and overtakes amongst the remaining cars regardless of their position in the race.
A lack of airtime is not good news for any team – particularly a multi-world championship winning squad – but it seems Red Bull has found a way to keep itself in the headlines before and after every race: Controversy!
Will Christian Horner fall or be pushed from Red Bull after his texts and photos to a female staff member were leaked to the FIA president Mohamed ben Sulayem, F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali, the grid’s nine other team principals, and the media?
Is Helmut Marko about to end his role as Red Bull’s motorsports advisor? If he goes, will Max Verstappen go – as he has suggested? And what about Max Verstappen’s father, Jos, who has been filmed in a heated exchange with Horner, who is anything other than complimentary toward Horner and appears hungry for his blood?
Could Max Walk Away From His All-Conquering Red Bull?
The spectacle of two Red Bull cars pulling clear of 18 rivals’ week-after-week may be mind-numbing, but no team has ever done soap opera-style suspense like Red Bull. Remarkably, the turbulence outside of the garage has not affected the team’s performance and bet365′s quote of 1/2 about Verstappen winning 17 or more races during the current season.
Given such superior equipment, the idea of Verstappen leaving the Red Bull team from the start of 2025 seems ludicrous. But rumours abound that he could join the Mercedes team, and its boss has said he would willingly provide a seat for Verstappen in 2025.
“Let’s word it like this: I think this is a decision Max needs to take, but there is no team up and down the grid that wouldn’t do handstands to have him in the car. I’d love to have him, but first, we need to sort out our car. First, we owe it to George [Russell] and Lewis to improve the car and give them equipment that is good before dreaming about the future next year.”
Who Goes Next and When Will Bearman Arrive?
The game of musical chairs has come around following Lewis Hamilton’s decision to join Ferrari in 2025. It has left Carlos Sainz redundant and searching for a drive for next year. Last weekend, struck down with appendicitis, the Spaniard missed the Saudi Grand Prix. His place was taken by 18-year-old reserve driver Oliver Bearman, who qualified 11th and finished seventh.
Since then, there have been contrasting media reports on the likelihood of Sainz being able to take part in the next race in Australia (March 24). Bearman has a second chance to showcase his abilities in one of the most coveted race seats in the sport.
His reward for acting as Sainz’s caretaker could be a full Formula 1 race seat in 2025. With Haas veteran Kevin Magnussen underperforming and frustrating his team (and rivals) with his typically ‘elbows out’ style, Bearman could be headed there. The American Haas team runs its cars with Ferrari engines and gearboxes.
With so much uncertainty in many teams, it will be fascinating to see which driver is shown the door first in 2024. Under normal circumstances, Lance Stroll would be a good candidate. He is outperformed by his teammate on a weekly basis, and last weekend, he literally drove his car into a wall!
Logan Sargeant is another dragging his heels, but with his family providing access to funds for his Williams’s team, it is unlikely they can afford to replace him mid-season. For now, this soap opera will have to stay on the back burner.
Crashgate Is Back With Massa Racing to Court
Maybe the next headline grabber will be former F1 driver Felipe Massa taking FIA, Formula One Management and Bernie Ecclestone to court over the fallout from the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix – better known as ‘crashgate’ – Nelson Piquet intentionally crashed to help his Renault teammate Fernando Alonso win the race.
The Brazilian has stated he was the “rightful” winner of the 2008 World Championship because the orchestrated accident contributed in him falling down the field from race leader to the 13th-placed finish.
It is claimed the incident cost Massa a significant points loss that would have seen him win the World Championship as opposed to losing it by a single point.
In a statement, law firm Vieira Rezende stated that had the FIA “acted properly, Mr Massa would have won the Drivers’ Championship that year”. Adding, “Mr Massa also seeks damages for the significant financial loss he has suffered due to the FIA’s failure, in which Mr Ecclestone and FOM were also complicit.”
“As Mr. Ecclestone has admitted, there was ‘enough information in time to investigate the matter’ in 2008 and ‘cancel the race in Singapore’. “Mr Massa also seeks damages for the significant financial loss he has suffered due to the FIA’s failure, in which Mr Ecclestone and FOM were also complicit,” the statement read.
“Mr Ecclestone further affirmed that, had the results of the 2008 Singapore Grand Prix been cancelled, ‘Felipe Massa would have become world champion’ and that Mr Massa ‘was cheated out of the title he deserved’.”
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