The official start of the 2024 F1 season is just days away, with the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix scheduled to get underway on Saturday night.
It remains doubtful whether Red Bull team principal Christian Horner will remain with the team by then.
Horner remains the subject of an internal investigation into allegations of “inappropriate” conduct, with team principals insisting he did nothing wrong, but he remains in contact with outside lawyers hired to investigate. I’ve already spent hours meeting with them. Horner joined the team at the launch of the RB20 and also took part in pre-season testing in Bahrain last week.
Ford CEO Jim Farley has now written to the investigation team expressing frustration with the pace of the investigation and lack of resolution. In a letter to Red Bull dated last Friday, obtained by Associated PressFarley pointed to Ford’s “non-negotiable” values and slammed the pace of the investigation and the lack of updates from Red Bull.
“As we have previously indicated, absent a satisfactory response, Ford’s values are non-negotiable,” Farley wrote in the letter. obtained by Associated Press. “It is essential that our racing partners share the same values and demonstrate a real commitment. My team and I are always available to discuss this matter. We continue to work towards a solution that we can all support. I strongly urge and look forward to action.”
Farley also said that Ford trusts the investigation into the alleged wrongdoing to be “fair,” but added, “However, we do not know when we expect a fair and just resolution to this matter. “The company is becoming increasingly frustrated by the lack of clear direction from the government.” problem,” Farley reportedly said in his letter. Associated Press. “We are equally frustrated by the lack of full transparency between us and your partners on this matter and would like to receive a full explanation of all findings. looking forward to it.”
Why is this letter important? Ford announced a partnership with Red Bull in early 2023, and Ford will partner with the team as Red Bull’s engine supplier for the 2026 season. When the team unveiled its 2023 F1 season challenger, the RB19, at a live event in New York City in February 2023, Farley was present at the event to help announce the partnership. “Ford is going back to F1 for the first time in 20 years,” Farley said at the time. “We wanted to go in a direction that was authentic to us… We decided to enter into a strategic and technical partnership with Red Bull for 2026… This is a big thing for us .”
