Red Bull Dual Team Ownership Controversy Reignited by Ricciardo’s Singapore Fastest Lap

September 24, 2024

McLaren’s Zak Brown has raised concerns about Red Bull dual team influence following Daniel Ricciardo’s late-race move during the Singapore Grand Prix.

Although the Australian driver, racing for RB, secured the fastest lap, he gained no points as he finished outside the top 10. However, his last-minute effort deprived McLaren’s Lando Norris of the bonus point. And ultimately benefited Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen – McLaren’s chief rival.

This move caught Brown’s attention and reignited the controversy over Red Bull owning two teams, as both Red Bull Racing and RB are controlled by the same parent company, raising fairness concerns within the competition.

Zak Brown, CEO of McLaren Racing. Photo: McLaren

Red Bull Dual Team and Fastest Lap Controversy

The McLaren CEO indicated that such a move illustrates a problem with the current system, where one entity can own two teams, potentially skewing the competition.

Both Red Bull and RB defended the decision, claiming it was independently made and within the rules. But, Brown isn’t convinced.

“That’s a nice A/B team sporting thing that I didn’t think was allowed…,” he told SiriusXM, alluding to the interconnected nature of Red Bull’s operations. “But hey, that’s not the first time we’ve seen it, probably won’t be the last.

In a media session on Sunday evening, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner stated that the two teams did not collaborate to stop Norris from earning the point.

RB team principal Laurent Mekies explained that the decision was made because Ricciardo might be replaced by Liam Lawson ahead of the next race in Austin, Texas.

“Given this may have been Daniel’s last race, we wanted to give him the chance to savour it and go out with the fastest lap,” he said.

A Broader Issue of Team Ownership?

This incident isn’t the first time questions have been raised over the Red Bull dual team structure.

The key issue is whether it allows for a competitive imbalance in favor of Red Bull. Critics like Brown argue that such arrangements might offer advantages beyond those typically available to other teams. Particularly when one team can assist the other strategically.

However, some F1 insiders, including Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, have defended the setup. They compare it to the advantages enjoyed by power unit suppliers. Others, like Norris himself, appeared unbothered by Ricciardo’s fastest lap. He shrugged off the move in the wider context of the race.

The Importance of One Point

Brown emphasized that even a single point can make a difference in the closely fought championships. Especially with only six rounds remaining. McLaren currently leads Red Bull in the constructors’ standings by 41 points. While Norris trails Max Verstappen by 52 points in the drivers’ standings. Brown intends to push for answers on whether such maneuvers undermine the fairness of the sport.

“I’ll certainly ask some questions,” Brown said. “It’s something I’ve spoken about in the past and I think it illustrates that it does happen, because I think you wouldn’t have made that pit stop to go for that.

“It’s not going to get anyone a point, so I think it does illustrate the issue around that topic.”

As the season progresses, the discussion around the Red Bull dual team ownership will likely continue. More so if further situations like Ricciardo’s fastest lap arise, potentially influencing championship outcomes.