F1 Role Models: Wolff Warns of Potential Repercussions Amid Red Bull Saga
Feb.22 - Red Bull was putting on an image of happy team unity as Christian Horner took up his usual place on the Red Bull pitwall in Bahrain.
While the team's energy drink parent continues to investigate the accusations of a female team member amid rumours of a power struggle, the long-time Red Bull boss sat smiling at a table as Dr Helmut Marko sipped a bowl of soup alongside him.
Nevertheless, rumours Horner will be imminently ousted are still rampant, although Viaplay broadcaster Mervi Kallio was forced on Wednesday to walk back her assertion that a decision has now been taken to announce Horner's departure perhaps as soon as this week.
"Even the Red Bull board has forbidden those present to comment in any way," Kallio said. "But the decision that Horner will have to step down has apparently already been made."
Horner's rival team bosses did not want to comment when asked about the Red Bull turmoil on the opening day of the Bahrain test - but Toto Wolff was the exception.
"It's a delicate issue," the Mercedes team boss told Sky Italia. "Red Bull has decided to open an internal investigation and we must respect it and have faith in this process.
"Of course we are all for respect and inclusion, but we don't want to talk about conjecture."
Wolff hinted, however, that if Horner's accuser is ultimately believed by Red Bull's independent investigator, his F1 nemesis may need to pay the ultimate price.
"These are the standards that we're setting ourselves in Formula 1," he said. "We live in a global sport, one of the most important sports platforms in the world. And we are role models."
Wolff also suggested that the saga risks bringing F1 into disrepute.
"We can talk when we know what the outcomes are, and what it means for Formula 1 and how we can learn from that. Because we want to talk about racing cars rather than these kinds of very, very critical topics," he said.
"It is more than just the team's issue. It's an issue for all of Formula 1."
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The arrogance, the hubris!!
If this were some obscure sport no-one gave a damn about, then this issue with Horner and "Madam X" would be invisible. Yet, because this is occurring in a highly visible sport, everyone is held to some germ-free standard of conduct that Christ himself would find impossible to meet.
I suspect the issue is in reality of little or no consequence by itself, but is being used as a fulcrum by Dr. Frankenstein (...and Max??) to effect change at the Red Bull pit wall. Time will reveal the hidden agenda.
My money is on Dr. Frankenstein wanting revenge for Horner's banal support for his contract renewal last Fall. And, again, if all Dr. Frankenstein can bring to the equation is dis-harmony and strife, then HE needs to go, not Horner. The BoD in Thailand have the power, but do they have the stones? Buckle-up.
Only a Red Bull-concerning matter rather than F1 as a whole.
And we are role models." And as Role Models when we dont agree with something , what we do is take the Team Lawyer into meetings, Go Toto , make hay while this story runs, you'll son be scowling and throwing headsets around in the pits
LOL
Absolutely need to be role models. I wouldn't feel safe or able to raise a complaint with someone who has violent outbursts resulting in damaging or destruction of property. Not with a team where one driver advises another that he can 'suck my .."
Even to be affiliated with a rights holder who opines that a certain driver is a risk to their business, and that perhaps his legs should be broken a la Tonya Harding.
And that's even before we go all transparent and timely over compensation for drain cover damage from months ago. Or compensation for fans from Spa, Vegas.
Or is it all a matter of context?