Jack Plooij has given some insight into Red Bull-Mercedes politics, saying it essentially caused massive friction between the teams’ higher-ups.
Red Bull and Mercedes have been caught up in an epic title rivalry this season. However, the have also been at it off the track. Comments, jabs, barbs and rants have defined this rivalry as much as the racing.
Christian Horner and Toto Wolff, the Team Principals of the two teams respectively, are not the main men of their teams. This season has seen them assume that role, and that has seen a lot of conflict.
Plooij gave some insight into Red Bull-Mercedes politics, and said that it is now just a massive series of controversies.
In an interview with Motorsport.com, Plooij said, “(Niki) Lauda had lunch with Helmut Marko every day. Then they sat together opposite each other, usually at Red Bull.
“And I think that a lot of fires were put out there that we never saw happen. But now we do.
“I think Marko would now have been instructed by Lauda to keep Horner in his cubicle, while Lauda would do that with Toto. Then we didn’t hear it.”
Clashes
This season has seen the two teams and their team principals throw words and sharp-tongued statements at each other. There have been many incidents like this, but none more so than after the British GP.
There, Lewis Hamilton and Max Verstappen touched, and the collision sent the Red Bull driver into the barriers. What followed was a minefield of pointed fingers and accusations.
“I think there are also reasons that this happens, just I’m not used to it from Wolff. He’s always a bit political and calm, but now it caused a bitchfight between Horner and Wolff,” Plooij concluded using the right choice of terms.
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