Horner: "Ferrari holding F1 to ransom wrong"
- Published on 12 Mar 2018 10:39
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- By: Rob Veenstra
Christian Horner has chided Ferrari for holding F1 "to ransom". The Red Bull boss is taking a hard position in reaction not only to Ferrari's quit threat, but president Sergio Marchionne's claim that Liberty Media knows nothing about F1 technology.
"I think that's disrespectful to Ross Brawn, one of the most successful engineers in F1 history," Horner told Spain's El Confidencial. "I think Liberty has a good understanding of the business and it's up to them to decide what's best."
Ferrari and Mercedes have reacted angrily to Liberty's post-2020 plans, including a new engine formula and budget cap. "It might be bad for us or Ferrari or Mercedes, but it's Liberty who must decide what they want formula one to be," Horner said.
"It's inevitable that there are going to be two battlefields," he continued. "FOM and the FIA are going to make the rules, and then it's up to the teams to decide if they want to be part of it or not."
And from that perspective, Horner said Red Bull will leave the regulation makers to it. "We're not going to have any influence," he said. "This world championship is managed by the FIA and FOM and it's their job to know what they want. Of course everyone wants Ferrari to continue, and it's fantastic fighting against such an iconic team. But it's wrong to hold F1 to ransom in that way," Horner said. (GMM)
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Replies (7)
Login to replymcbhargav
Posts: 1,332
Didnt Redbull put out tantrums before 2017 season when they didnt get mercedez engine?
boudy
Posts: 1,168
Not having access to an competitive engine or even an route to one does not make any team happy. The Renault engine has had some depressing results over the last couple of seasons. Horner is making the case for a solution that would not see the likes of mcLaren/Redbull and any other independent team being restricted to an uncompetitive supplier. Ferrari/Mercedes are effectively restricting access to any team that would be able to beat them in a straight race. The speed that Hamilton was able to unlease when he needed an those modse were unavailable to FI/Williams. Even when toro rosso needed to switch to Ferrari they weren't able to source an Ferrari engine that was competitive.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Yet you long for the same power, dont you, Horner?
f1dave
Posts: 782
Short memory on this guy, he seems to have forgotten the threats and crying that he did not that long ago.
calle.itw
Posts: 8,527
Not so much short memory as very flexible memory. Its a type of dementia common among CEOs. Like that time Peter Molyneaux said DRM in video games doesnt work, yet they used it very recently...
reg
Posts: 162
The big question is do Liberty really control it? I thought the FIA control it and decide what is and not is F1, whilst Liberty run it, but not control it. If push comes to shove the FIA can do what they want whenever they want to. Liberty could be holding the commercial rights to nothing if they are not careful. It is not as cut a dried as people think. To add complexity the FiA are based in Paris and the French are renowned for being very unpredictable and prone to putting French interests top of the bill!
RenaultFM1
Posts: 100
Horner is always on Liberty's side so for sure he hope get a job with them in the future. Suck up some more and you will do fine.