First the affair surrounding Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, then the accusations against FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem: Formula 1, the premier motorsport class, is currently anything but sailing in calm waters. Now ex-pilot Ralf Schumacher has commented on the developments.
The events surrounding Red Bull’s team boss Christian Horner, who is said to have behaved “inappropriately” towards a racing team employee, have been keeping Formula 1 on its toes for weeks, then the next earthquake followed immediately after the start of the new season.
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem is accused of intervening at the 2023 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix to overturn a penalty against Fernando Alonso. In addition, Ben Sulayem is said to have done everything he could to torpedo the introduction of a race in Las Vegas. This was reported by a whistleblower to the BBC.
Ex-pilot Ralf Schumacher has now taken a clear stance on the issues on “Sky” and, in particular, did not leave Red Bill in good stead.
“I see this highly critically. What has been achieved at the moment is: The best team that has existed in the last decade – with Mercedes – is currently destroying itself from the inside,” says Schumacher about the three-time world champion and F1 racing team -Dominator Max Verstappen.
Mercedes rubs her hands
Schumacher is particularly critical of the fact that Verstappen’s father Jos openly criticized Horner to the “Daily Mail” after the start of the season in Bahrain and stated that things could not continue with the Brit.
According to the six-time Grand Prix winner, the possible beneficiary is Mercedes and team boss Toto Wolff: “I think Toto Wolff is relatively happy as an onlooker. He can come out of the matter as a big winner. If Christian Horner takes his seat with all his might If he holds on, he will damage Red Bull, but will also ensure that Max Verstappen leaves the team.”
In the meantime, Max Verstappen stated that saying goodbye was by no means in his interest, but the 26-year-old did not want to completely rule out this scenario.
Then FIA President Ben Sulayem will have to vacate his post
Schumacher assesses the allegations against Ben Sulayem as follows: “If he really had influence, then the question doesn’t even arise. Then the question is not ‘when’, but ‘how quickly’. Then he has to leave immediately because that “It’s something that’s not possible in motorsport,” said the 48-year-old.
Schumacher views the allegations about the Las Vegas GP with a certain degree of caution: the FIA President is more of a thorn in the side of the FOM, the company responsible for the commercial side of Formula 1. Since there have been different opinions about the value of the racing series, there has been “huge tension”. However, if the allegations are true, “then he will have to leave his post.”