F1 Fast Five: Red Bull in crisis as Jos Verstappen insists Horner must go, Alpine loses technical director and head of aero, other big updates

Red Bull in crisis as Jos Verstappen insists Horner must go

Jos Verstappen, the father of Max Verstappen, directly warned that Red Bull faces risks being "torn apart" if Christian Horner remains as team principal, citing escalating tensions and the potential for a catastrophic fallout within the team. Despite Horner's recent exoneration from misconduct allegations and Red Bull's stellar performance under his leadership, Verstappen Sr. firmly advocated for his removal, stating that Horner is exacerbating rather than resolving the team's internal issues. 

Click here to read the full article by Jonathan Noble (motorsport.com)

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Alpine loses technical director and head of aero

After a disasterous season opener, Alpine is facing a new crisis. Alpine's Esteban Ocon and Pierre Gasly finished 17th and 18th at Bahrain. But coupled with racing difficulties, they are now facing a major shuffle within their technical department after it was announced that technical director Matt Harman and head of aerodynamics Dirk de Beer have resigned. The team did expect extremely poor performance from the A524 going into the 2024 season, due to weight and aerodynamic misses. However, progress to the car for the rest of the season could be further delayed by these resignations

Click here to read the full article by Jonathan Noble (autosport.com)

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Szafnauer takes another dig at Alpine after disastrous Bahrain GP

Otmar Szafnauer, Alpine's former team principal, attributes their poor performance in Bahrain to subpar decisions from higher management, emphasizing the lack of "psychological safety" within the team due to frequent changes in personnel. Despite management reshuffles, Alpine's on-track performance hasn't improved, which is evident from their struggles in Bahrain, where their car faced weight issues and both drivers qualified poorly. Timo Glock also criticizes Alpine's management upheavals, linking them to the team's current plight. While interim team boss Bruno Famin acknowledges the challenges, he expresses optimism about resolving the car's issues and improving performance in future races, highlighting the team's unity and determination to progress.

Click here to read the full article by Michelle Foster (planetf1.com)

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Ricciardo and Tsunoda dispute team orders in Bahrain

During the Bahrain Grand Prix, Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda disagreed over the Red Bull Formula 1 team's decision to swap positions towards the end of the race. Tsunoda, running on Hard compound tires, was instructed to let Ricciardo pass, although he questioned the call before complying. Ricciardo, expecting the swap due to pre-race strategy discussions, was unable to overtake Kevin Magnussen but expressed readiness to return the position to Tsunoda if the team requested while also noting that the timing of the swap might have affected his race outcome.

Click here to read the full article by Taylor Powling (motorsportweek.com)

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Meet the 2024 grid

Get to know the Formula 1 drivers of 2024 up close in 'Meet The Formula 1 Drivers for 2024.' Join Max Verstappen of Red Bull and Lewis Hamilton, along with their fellow drivers, as they introduce themselves and their respective teams. Hear firsthand about the thrills of being a Formula One racer, the origins of their competitive drive, and other intriguing insights as they engage in discussions and answer questions. Click here to watch the video.