Ralf Schumacher believes Christian Horner, the longstanding Red Bull team principal, should step down immediately amidst the swirling controversy surrounding him. Despite the lessening intensity of the scandal, the former F1 driver suggests Horner’s departure is essential.
An internal power struggle within the dominant F1 team has placed Horner in a precarious position, as the FIA now investigates allegations of misconduct made by a suspended female staff member. This issue has persisted since before preseason testing, casting a shadow over the sport’s on-track action.
Luis Perez-Sala, an ex-F1 driver and former advisor to HRT, echoed the sentiment that internal disputes are detrimental to a team’s success, stating to Spain’s AS newspaper, “Internal disputes do not help the proper functioning of a team, even one as impressive as Red Bull. Wars or internal conflicts go against unity and harmony and are certainly never a positive thing.”
Ralf Schumacher contends that the focus on Horner’s personal issues detracts from the sport itself, observing that “It wasn’t until race day in Bahrain that there was even a little bit of talk about the sport,” as he told Sport1.
Schumacher’s criticism extends to Horner’s reluctance to address the situation publicly, comparing it to his own experiences with private matters – like his divorce – becoming public. “I’m sorry for his family, but there was only one person who started this whole thing – him. And I can’t accept that he keeps saying he doesn’t want to talk about it,” Schumacher stated. He also highlighted the lack of visibility for the employee involved, adding, “For example, you don’t hear anything from the employee and that’s not good. Nobody talks about her. And one thing is certain – as long as this goes on, it does immense damage to Red Bull.”
Schumacher further emphasizes that Horner should act in the team’s best interest and resign, quoting Horner’s own principle that “no one is more important than the team.”
Max Verstappen, the team’s lead driver, has remained cautious in his statements but recently stressed the importance of protecting the legacy of the team’s late founder, Dietrich Mateschitz. When queried about the potential impact on Mateschitz’s legacy, Schumacher believes a swift resolution is crucial but stops short of saying Horner’s actions have already tarnished it.
On the prospect of Verstappen switching to Mercedes, Schumacher suggests that while it might not lead to immediate wins for Verstappen due to the current performance gap, such a move would certainly make the championship more thrilling. “Mercedes is too far away for him to win straight away. Toto Wolff seems resigned when he is interviewed these days. Somehow the Mercedes engineers still haven’t understood the new car concept. But even if Max is really – as suspected – three tenths faster than the rest, it wouldn’t be enough to win at the moment. But it would make everything more exciting, there’s no question about that,” Schumacher concluded.
