chrisc90 wrote: ↑09 Mar 2024, 13:03
Someone leaked it without a question, I said over on autosport that there wasnt many people who could realistically be responsible for a leak:
Link here
Red Bull are truly right to be, or looking to be suspending staff that they believe could be responsible whilst its investigated. (obviously Horner would be a bit silly to leak his own messages so probably why he's not suspended).
I think IF (BIG IF) it was Marko that leaked the messages, then there becomes a point where enough is enough. He's managed to stay by the skin of his teeth on previous cases. Maybe its a cover up from Jos and Max to put pressure on RB to have Marko stay by claiming that he's part of the team, and thus the media comments from Max are almost 'to his defence' in not wanting RB HQ to sack him.
I'm not even sure I wholly agree with Max in his media interview the other day about who built the team (where he excluded Christian from the comments). I'm sure Christian would have done equally as much, if not more than Marko in getting the team to the success they are at today. And even then it filters down to the staff you have working for you etc.
Max needs to be clever with his decisions, Marko is 80year old now and certainly no 'spring chicken' anymore and got to question how much longer he has being able to sustain workloads, travelling etc. Marko was certainly responsible for bringing Max into F1, and a very right decision that was at the time.
Certainly a tough call, i'm more than certain that Max can survive in F1 quite easily without the help of Marko being there in the paddock too. Even if Max reported back to Marko and Christian about the car, i'm sure Christian is more than capable of pulling any strings for ideas/concerns Max has about the car with the rest of the team. Infact, Max is probably better off sitting down with Newey and Wache than Christian or Marko about any development or concerns.
For one thing, Max isnt going to walk out of F1 in the next few months IF Marko is suspended or sacked, certainly not when he's by far the best driver on the grid, driving for one of the most slick teams on the grid in many many years when they are both at their peaks.
I certainly don't think Max would work alongside Toto well. Merc and their PR is just not in-line with how RB's and Max work. (hate to bring it up but look how much Russell changed when he was brought into Mercedes and how his interviews and character changed). That wouldn't work with Max in the slightest.