Feb.26 (GMM) The collective F1 paddock is anticipating the result of the Christian Horner scandal to be identified earlier than monitor motion resumes in Bahrain this week.
Even Max Verstappen, who has publicly stayed out of the saga involving Purple Bull’s inner investigation into Horner’s alleged dangerous behaviour with a feminine employees member, now admits {that a} swift decision is required.
“It’s higher that I simply think about my efficiency,” the triple world champion mentioned in Bahrain. “Everybody right here focuses on the efficiency of the automotive, correctly. Everybody is aware of their function.
“However after all it’s good when issues are solved,” the Dutchman insisted.
Though the investigation into Horner has dragged on, most insiders nonetheless anticipate that the 50-year-old will wrestle to hold onto his job as Purple Bull’s long-time staff principal.
That’s now particularly the case given the newest improvement with Purple Bull’s 2026 engine accomplice Ford, whose CEO Jim Farley has written a letter to the staff expressing his issues.
“As now we have beforehand acknowledged, and with out receiving a passable response, the values Ford is dedicated to are non-negotiable,” the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf quotes Farley as having wrote final Friday.
“We’re additionally pissed off by the dearth of full transparency round this subject from us, your corporation companions, and look ahead to a full report of all findings.”
Former Purple Bull driver Christian Klien instructed the Purple Bull-owned broadcaster Servus TV: “Christian is an extremely large a part of the staff and helped construct it from the bottom up, as we all know.
“However he’s additionally a cog within the machine, I might say.”
Subsequently, loads of rumours are doing the rounds about who may change Horner.
“They might have Otmar (Szafnauer) instantly. Gunther (Steiner) would do it instantly too,” mentioned Klien.
“However I feel Purple Bull is extra the kind of staff that pulls folks up from their very own ranks.”
Klien thinks Purple Bull may then set up a two-man staff on the prime, as is the brand new administration construction on the junior staff RB the place Peter Bayer and Laurent Mekies divide up the duties.
“I feel that’s the best now,” mentioned the Austrian. “Groups have grow to be so huge with 1000, 1500 staff. I don’t suppose one man can do this anymore.”
One other former F1 driver, Ralf Schumacher, says Horner being sacked would trigger “unrest” at Purple Bull, though with such a quick automotive, the determine on the prime this yr “received’t make a giant distinction”.
“It could be higher for the staff if every part stays like this,” the German instructed Sky Deutschland. “However I’ve heard Oliver Oakes talked about and he’s very skilled, and likewise below dialogue with different groups.”
