Red Bull and AlphaTauri under scrutiny once again

The ever-closer alignment between Red Bull and its sister team AlphaTauri has sparked fresh controversy, with rivals questioning if it compromises the independence of two squads racing under the same ownership.

Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur considers the situation "strange" but is confident in the FIA's oversight, while McLaren's Zak Brown called for tighter regulations to ensure fair competition.

Vasseur on the Red Bull-AlphaTauri model

"What AlphaTauri are doing together [with Red Bull] is a strange situation with two teams owned by the same company," said Vasseur.

He acknowledged that the FIA has so far managed to police the information flow between these allied outfits.

"I am sure they will be able to in future," he reiterated. However, Vasseur refused to be drawn into predicting whether Ferrari can close the gap to the dominant Milton Keynes squad in 2024.

Brown calls for regulatory changes

McLaren CEO Zak Brown delivered an open letter arguing that Formula 1 must "stand up for independence, competition and fairness" by introducing rules to stop influence flowing between teams, especially via common ownership structures.

Describing strategic alliances like that of Red Bull's duo as damaging for the sport's integrity, Brown claimed fans "universally believe in fairness" and would reject loopholes that enable unfair domination by one party.

Technical implications

The controversy arose after AlphaTauri's performance markedly improved from Singapore 2022 onwards, which paddock insiders credited to the adoption of Red Bull's sophisticated rear suspension design.

This example highlights how small technical advantages can translate to outsized on-track gains under F1's tight regulations.

With AlphaTauri tipped to lean even more heavily on parts sharing with its senior team per the 2024 rules, rivals fear the Faenza squad could become merely a B-team for Red Bull rather than an independent competitor.