The verbal battle between Red Bull and McLaren is far from over. Instead, it gets intense after the Austrian crash between Max Verstappen and Lando Norris. The McLaren CEO Zak Brown has yet again directed verbal shots towards the reigning champions as he wants to safeguard the Sport’s integrity.
The ongoing rivalry between these two Formula 1 teams has been prominent since October 2022. It all started when it was discovered that Red Bull had breached the annual cost cap of $135M, as Brown alleged the RBR squad of cheating. Now, after two years, the verbal pat continues as the American executive has made some shocking allegations.
Zak Brown Launches Fresh Verbal Attacks On Red Bull Boss Christian Horner
In an interview with The Independent, Zak Brown articulated his proactive approach to addressing issues within Formula 1: “I only respond to things when I think they’re not right. I speak up on issues.” Brown elaborated on his frequent disagreements with Christian Horner, emphasizing, “It just seems I have more issues with [Christian], more than others, because he says and does stuff I think is wrong.”
Additionally, Brown underscored the importance of upholding the integrity of Formula 1’s cost cap, particularly during episodes where McLaren found themselves at odds with Red Bull. Thus he expressed concern that disregarding the cost cap could irreparably harm the sport’s credibility: “I was trying to protect the integrity of the sport, and they didn’t take it seriously. That’s why I spoke up.” Brown criticized Horner’s public statements regarding specific incidents involving McLaren drivers, asserting, “We’re very honest with our drivers. Why should he think otherwise if nobody tells him his actions weren’t within the regulations?” He condemned Horner’s comments directed at Lando Norris during races, stating, “To have Christian come on the radio and squarely point the problem at Lando — who are you kidding? Everyone has seen it.”
In addressing Formula 1 regulations, the American billionaire highlighted a particular instance where Horner’s remarks were unwarranted, concluding, “The regulations are obvious — you’ve got to leave a car’s width. He didn’t. Why did he have to say anything? It just felt wholly inappropriate.”
Red Bull Reports An Additional Hole In The McLaren Brake Linnings To FIA
The Red Bull team has reportedly pointed out a hole in MCL38, which ideally shouldn’t exist. According to a report by Auto Motor und Sport, the Milton Keynes-based outfit knocked on the doors of FIA to look into the matter.
Although the team could fit a sensor during the free practice, they need to cover the hole before the Saturday qualifications. However, the RBR squad discovered an additional hole in McLaren’s MCL38’s rear and front braking. Red Bull suspects the hole was intended to create an extra cooling effect, potentially giving McLaren an unfair advantage. However, there has been no official announcement of any breach by the Woking-based outfit.