Christian Horner has slammed McLaren’s Zak Brown for raising concerns about Red Bull Racing’s now-banned front bib adjustment device, labeling the complaints as strategic distractions fueled by “paranoia.”
The controversy arose after rival teams accused Red Bull of potentially manipulating the RB20’s front ride height during parc fermé conditions, a clear violation of Formula 1 regulations. The device in question allegedly allowed Red Bull to alter the car’s performance post-qualifying, leading McLaren to call for severe penalties.
Horner, breaking his silence for the first time since the controversy erupted, dismissed McLaren’s complaints as baseless and suggested that frustration, rather than genuine rule-breaking, was driving the accusations. He noted that Red Bull’s mechanism has been used legally for three years and has always been transparent to the FIA and rival teams.
“There has been a bit of moaning from one of our rivals,” Horner said. “It’s the FIA’s job to investigate, and this has been an open-source component for the last three years. The FIA is happy with it, just to satisfy some paranoia elsewhere in the paddock.”
The Red Bull boss implied that McLaren’s vocal concerns were an attempt to distract from their own issues. With McLaren surging to challenge Red Bull in both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships, Horner suggested that Brown might be trying to deflect attention from McLaren’s own performance struggles.
“Sometimes, to distract from what’s going on in your own house, you light a fire somewhere else,” Horner quipped, alluding to McLaren’s possible strategic ploy to create pressure on Red Bull as the championship heats up.
Red Bull’s T-tray device, which helps adjust the car’s ride height, had come under intense scrutiny after it was suspected of being altered in violation of parc fermé rules. However, Horner assured that the device remained unchanged once the car was in parc fermé, and that the FIA had conducted thorough inspections, finding nothing illegal.
“The T-tray has been part of our car for three years,” Horner continued. “It hasn’t changed, and the FIA looked at it after Singapore and were more than happy with it. We’ve done nothing wrong.”
With both teams gunning for the championship and McLaren CEO Zak Brown pushing for a deep investigation, Horner remains confident that Red Bull’s innovations are within the regulations. The FIA, while allowing Red Bull to continue using the device in practice, has clarified that any adjustments made after qualifying would be illegal. So far, no concrete evidence has emerged to suggest that Red Bull broke the rules.
As the 2024 Formula 1 season heads toward its climax, the war of words between the two teams adds an extra layer of drama. McLaren, eager to close the gap in the title race, seems determined to keep the spotlight on Red Bull’s practices, but Horner remains unfazed.
The dispute underscores the high stakes in F1, where innovation and rule interpretation often walk a fine line. For now, Red Bull’s focus remains on defending their titles as they fend off both on-track challenges and paddock intrigue.
