It’s shaping up to be a pre-season to remember: the 2024 Formula 1 campaign has kicked off in an entirely unexpected way. Scandals and sensational news fit for a soap opera.
February 2024 opened with a series of (un)fortunate events, and we want to take you through them.
Andretti Rejected
The month began with the bombshell news of Andretti’s rejection: Formula 1 closed its doors to him. The justification? According to the stakeholders, the candidate in question wouldn’t be competitive enough and wouldn’t bring value to F1. Are we really sure? In this article, we had tried to delve deeper into the issue. There’s a suspicion that behind Andretti’s non-promotion, there are economic and technical reasons.
Lewis Hamilton to Ferrari
Lewis Hamilton’s farewell to Mercedes and his signing with Ferrari from 2025 came like a bolt from the blue. Perhaps even perfectly timed to distract us from the Andretti situation. With this sensational news, the driver market kicked off earlier than expected. Consequently, Carlos Sainz announced that 2024 would be his last year with the Maranello team, with bittersweet words. The Spaniard believed he could renew his contract, but Hamilton’s bold move forced him to change plans.
We still don’t know which team Sainz will race for in 2025 (he said we’ll have news “in due course”), but one thing is certain: the artful son will give it his all this year to leave a good memory for his fans. Tensions are quite high at Mercedes, with Toto Wolff, although claiming not to harbor any resentment for his star driver’s short notice, has assured that there will be no tensions within the team. Do we believe him?
The Stake-Sauber Case
No sooner had the 2024 car been unveiled than Sauber’s new Formula 1 season began with some issues. The Swiss Gambling Commission (ESBK) initiated an investigation against the Swiss team for using the Stake brand on the livery without authorization in the country of operation. In a matter of hours, there was talk of a hefty fine for Sauber, removal of the logo from the team’s site, and then a denial.
Christian Horner Compromised?
A “spicy” scandal couldn’t be missing in this lively start to the Formula 1 season. A few days ago, Christian Horner found himself in the eye of the storm with allegations of inappropriate behavior toward a Red Bull team member. The Austrian team is trembling, Geri Halliwell defends her husband, while factions are emerging within the “house” itself.
Christian Horner, in the meantime, is increasingly isolated. Adrian Newey is said to have severed all ties with his great friend. Jos Verstappen (Max’s father) has taken sides against him. The BBC is sure: the Red Bull boss’s days are numbered.
Source: f1ingenerale
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