The ongoing speculation about Christian Horner’s future with Red Bull and Lewis Hamilton’s successor at Mercedes continues to capture significant attention as the start of the 2024 F1 season approaches. Haas, Williams, Sauber, Alpine, Red Bull, and Aston Martin have already unveiled their liveries for the upcoming year, with four more teams yet to reveal theirs.
All eyes are eagerly awaiting the launch of Red Bull’s RB20 on Thursday, where Max Verstappen will get his first glimpse of the car that could potentially lead him to a fourth consecutive world championship. However, it remains uncertain whether team principal Christian Horner will be present following an extensive questioning session on allegations of inappropriate conduct, which he denies, last Friday.
In contrast, Mercedes is set to unveil their W15 on Valentine’s Day, with Hamilton hoping to feel appreciated in his final season with the team before his anticipated move to Ferrari.
Red Bull slapped with £6m bill
Red Bull’s dominant performance in 2023 is poised to come at a significant financial cost.
According to FIA regulations, the entry fees for each F1 team are determined based on their performance from the previous season. Every team is required to pay a base fee of slightly over £500,000, with an additional amount of slightly over £5,000 for each point earned.
With Red Bull amassing an astonishing 860 points last season, thanks to victories from Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez in nearly all but one Grand Prix, the team faces a substantial entry fee of £5.9 million for their spot on the 2024 grid. In contrast, the following team, Mercedes, will only need to pay £2.7 million.
Even the 10th-placed team from the previous season, Haas, is set to pay just under £600,000 in entry fees.
Toto Wolff meeting sparks frenzy
Toto Wolff was photographed enjoying coffee with Flavio Briatore, Fernando Alonso’s manager, sparking rumors about Alonso potentially replacing Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes.
Alonso himself has hinted at the possibility of joining Mercedes when Hamilton moves to Ferrari in 2025. The picture of Wolff and Briatore meeting is unlikely to dispel the speculation, as Briatore posted it on Instagram with the caption “Breakfast with Toto Wolff.”
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