Favoritism at Red Bull?

Last Sunday, in Turkey, victory did not seem to be able to escape the team Red Bull Racing. Unfortunately for Christian Horner, his two drivers collided, destroying any hope of success. From an accounting point of view, everything is not dramatic, the Austrian team having arrived in Istanbul at the top of both championships. But both the drivers and the team could have taken advantage of this seventh round of the world championship to forge a small lead in the rankings.

Concerning the responsibility of the two pilots, opinions are divided. Vettel? Webber? If many think that Sebastian Vettel enjoys a privileged status, this is not the case for David Coulthard, a resident of Red Bull Racing from 2005 to 2008.

“Some will look at my CV and say that I lack objectivity, the Scotsman told telegraph.co.uk. But I think there is no favoritism at Red Bull. Clearly, between an Australian who has been present for around ten years and a young German who should become the youngest world champion in history this season, the Austrian leaders of Red Bull certainly prefer the latter option. They are in F1 for commercial reasons and a Vettel triumph would certainly bring them more exposure. However, do I think that both drivers benefit from the same equipment? With all my heart I answer yes. I know that Webber said certain things directly, which were interpreted in a certain way by journalists. Webber was angry because he had lost a race that he could have won. He went straight from the podium to the press conference. He had not yet debriefed. He still saw the world through the visor of his helmet.”

But apart from the interpretations of the post-race interviews, what about the incident itself?

“The reality is, Webber was asked to save fuel a few laps before the collision, continues the pilot Mercedes en DTM. When Vettel suddenly came up behind him he was surprised because they had started the race with the same amount of fuel. I think that after calming down he will accept the team?s explanations on the fact that Vettel saved more fuel than him, and that the latter therefore benefited from a more efficient engine before also having to do the same. The same instructions were given to the pilots McLaren. The teams did not imagine that the racing pace would be so fast. The cars left with the minimum possible fuel, but consumed more than expected. Webber could have given more space (to Vettel, editor's note) and Vettel could have continued straight to the braking point. Both could have done more to avoid getting stuck. But there is a small problem, They are racing animals. We saw the same thing with Lewis Hamilton and Jenson Button 10 minutes later.”

Although absent from the F1 starting grids since the end of 2008, David Coulthard nonetheless keeps a close eye on the premier discipline of motorsport and on his former team. For him, Red Bull Racing will not suffer for long from this incident which occurred during the Turkish Grand Prix. The points flew away well. It remains to be hoped that Christian Horner and his men will not have to regret it when the countdowns come at the end of the season.

Find the full report of the Turkish Grand Prix in your AUTOhebdo magazine, on newsstands tomorrow.