Toxic F1 season as Red Bull ‘cheat’ row with McLaren keeps tit-for-tat war raging
Never mind bibs, they are going to need full-on hazmat suits to deal with the fallout from this increasingly toxic Formula One season if it goes to the wire.
Allegations in the build-up to this weekend’s United States Grand Prix that Red Bull may have been operating a so-called “bib device” – which controls ride height – between qualifying and race are merely the latest in a tit-for-tat war which has raged all year between the season’s two big players.
First it was McLaren demanding action from the FIA/F1 over the sexting and bullying row at Red Bull. Then it was the appropriateness of Red Bull owning two F1 teams, albeit that story is pretty old hat by now. By late summer, Red Bull were hitting back with “questions” of their own (definitely not complaints) about the flexibility of McLaren’s front wing, forcing McLaren to make “voluntary changes” (definitely not forced) to their design. Now it is Red Bull’s bib device system, to which Red Bull have also “agreed to make changes” following discussions with the FIA.
The FIA taking a closer look at Red Bull's contentious ride-height device 🔍 pic.twitter.com/SInB6SbglM
— Sky Sports F1 (@SkySportsF1) October 18, 2024
Whether they have been naughty or not – and Red Bull vehemently deny having done anything wrong, although the FIA has hardly inspired confidence by admitting it has no way of knowing and then in the next breath declaring it a “non-story” – this latest row will further inflame tensions as the title race reaches its climax.
Which of course is the whole point. Both teams are desperately trying to knock the other off their perch, and destabilising your rivals is a tried-and-tested method for doing so.
What is interesting about the McLaren vs Red Bull rivalry this season is that it very much feels as if it is between Zak Brown and Christian Horner.
Whereas the Mercedes vs Red Bull rivalry a few years ago stretched to their drivers as well, with Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen frequently crossing swords and exchanging barbs in the press, there is virtually no enmity at all between Lando Norris and Verstappen. Quite the opposite, they are firm friends.
The one time they had a genuine bit of beef, after their collision in Austria, Norris demanded an apology from Verstappen, saying he would “lose a lot of respect” for the Dutchman if it was not forthcoming, only to backtrack a few days later at Silverstone.
Many feel that was a sign that Norris did not have the stomach for the fight. Could you imagine alpha-male drivers such as Hamilton, Michael Schumacher, Fernando Alonso or Verstappen himself being quite so amenable, they asked?
Norris did not rise to it. In fact, as he has done his whole career, the young Briton instead spoke openly about the mistakes he has made this season, even admitting to fragility on his part. In particular, at last month’s Italian Grand Prix, Norris made a frank admission about the nerves he still feels ahead of races, admitting he struggles to eat or drink anything due to nerves.
It was no surprise to see Helmut Marko, Red Bull’s outspoken motorsport adviser, seizing on those comments this weekend, declaring his man to be mentally tougher than his rival.
“We know Norris has some mental weaknesses,” Marko said. “I’ve read about some of the rituals he needs to do to perform well on race day.”
It was a suggestion which brought a swift rebuke from Brown, who described the comments as “disappointing but not surprising” and said they had “set the [mental health conversation in F1] back 10-20 years”.
We may or may not find out whether Red Bull were doing anything questionable with their bib device. But it all feels like window dressing really. What really matters is the fact that Norris still trails Verstappen by 52 points heading into the Austin weekend. Close that gap significantly and the tension really will rise – possibly even placing a strain on their friendship.
Until then, you can be sure their two teams will continue to take pot shots at each other. T’was ever thus.