Horner Addresses Concerns Over Red Bull / RB Collaboration As Ricciardo Helps Verstappen

Tuesday, 24 September 2024 at 14:01

Daniel Ricciardo and Max Verstappen in team clothes enjoying their time during the driver parade before the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix.

Christian Horner addressed McLaren's and Zak Brown's concerns over Red Bull's A/B team ownership after Daniel Ricciardo helped Max Verstappen in Singapore.

Daniel Ricciardo decided to help Max Verstappen during what might have been his last two laps in Formula 1 by snatching the fastest lap away from Lando Norris.

The RB / VCARB driver basically took one point away from Norris, which might be crucial in a Championship battle as close as this one.

What was a bit controversial about this move was that the Honey Badger gained nothing by doing it. On the other hand, he competes for a Red Bull-owned team.

Is it allowed for RB to help Red Bull Racing in the Championship? McLaren's CEO Zak Brown expressed his surprise after the Grand Prix as he told SiriusXM:

"That's a nice A/B team sporting thing that I didn't think was allowed… But hey, that's not the first time we've seen it, probably won't be the last."

Zak Brown in McLaren team clothes, wearing a headset on the McLaren pit wall with a blurry background.

Zak Brown on the McLaren pit wall

"I'll certainly ask some questions. It's something I've spoken about in the past and I think it illustrates that it does happen because I think you wouldn't have made that pit stop to go for that. It's not going to get anyone a point, so I think it does illustrate the issue around that topic."

When Red Bull's team principal, Christian Horner, was asked about what happened from his point of view, he denied any sort of involvement in RB's decision to go for the fastest lap. He told SiriusXM:

"Racing Bulls [RB] stopped and did the fastest lap at the end of the race. There's nothing more to it than that."

"Kevin Magnussen would have had it had he not gone wide earlier in the race, and he has a Ferrari engine. Every team has its own independence."

"It's always going to get raised because it's the same ownership, so it's inevitable that question's going to get raised. But... Remember, he [Ricciardo] gets paid a bonus on a fastest."

Although it often seems like the team principals of rival F1 teams in the Championship hate each other as they play media games and often attack each other, Zak Brown's post-race post on X (formerly Twitter) showed how they still maintain a high level of respect despite everything that's happening in the paddock.

Zak Brown

@ZBrownCEO

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Peace in F1 has been restored on flight home (where’s Netflix when you need them!) - but the battle will continue on track. What an awesome sport!

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Toto Wolff's Opinion On RB / Red Bull Help In Singapore:

Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff also shared his opinion on the RB driver stealing the fastest lap from Norris at the end of the 2024 Singapore Grand Prix. As reported by RacingNews365, he said:

"I think you've got to probably play all strategies that you have. I don't think was a dirty play. Not at all, it [the championship] could come down to a point, it was within the regulations. The drivers weren't unfair with each other. No big deal."