Red Rag to a Red Bull – Brian Sims
March 25, 2013
If you’ve seen the Senna movie it should help you understand why there is so much concern at the Webber / Vettel scenario that unfolded once again, this time in Sepang. Like many people, I’d forgotten just how vitriolic the feud between Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost had become. It reached a stage where the two of them were effectively using their race cars as weapons on the track.
During my motorsport career I’ve watched several feuds being played out, including the Mansell and Piquet version at Williams and Pironi and Villeneuve at Ferrari. I don’t think the latest Red Bull pairing have quite reached those levels, but all the warning signs are there. Christian Horner really needs to put a stop to this situation festering any further.
I recall that in MotoGP, the tension between Yamaha’s Valentino Rossi and his team mate Jorge Lorenzo was so wretched at one stage, that a wall was built between the two of them in the pit garage so that they didn’t have to look at or talk to each other. It would be very sad if Red Bull have to resort to that crazy situation
Of course, some people are already saying that the on-going Red Bull shenanigans are good publicity for Formula 1; others are demanding that team orders should be banned again. On that point, the FIA has tried banning them, but the teams just resort to subterfuge instead. At least it’s now out in the open. On the publicity aspect, I can understand where people are coming from, but just think for a moment of the potential for disaster. The battle on the track in Malaysia over the closing stages was fortunately incident free, but at 180 mph plus, with hearts so close to ruling heads, it doesn’t take much for that to suddenly turn into a lethal concoction, with dire consequences.
I feel that we’ve all become a little too complacent about the safety of F1 in the modern era. However, I remember that weekend in 1994, at Imola, when it all came back to bite us with two fatalities in two days. Surely no-one wants to see that again and yet that is what we could be facing if this matter isn’t dealt with quickly and firmly. It’s not just the drivers who might get hurt either, as we’ve recently witnessed in America, where a number of spectators at Daytona were badly injured.
Watching the BBC coverage of the Sepang race, David Coulthard was obviously not impressed when BBC’s Suzi Perry stood her ground over the incident. She commented that it’s all too easy for Vettel just to mutter an apology once the damage has been done, to which DC rather got on his high horse and went on about the poor guy being crucified despite having said he was sorry. Was Vettel sorry? I’m sure he was, but only when it dawned on him that pit lane opinions didn’t seem to be in his favour and that he might just need Webber’s help later in the season.
On that note, what a breath of fresh air Suzi Perry is bringing to F1. Having watched her role in two wheeled motorsport, unlike some presenters she’s never taken herself too seriously. Neither does she shy away from asking controversial questions of F1 stars, both past and present.
Too many sports presenters, and not just in motorsport, put the performers on a pedestal and are scared to upset them. I think that one of the best commentary teams is in MotoGP, where Steve Parrish and Charlie Cox bring a tongue in cheek, humorous and balanced approach. They’re not afraid to say it as it is and if that just happens to be controversial, then so be it. The viewers ultimately benefit.
It’s all very well to get former sports stars to give their opinions during and after coverage of a sporting event, and what a gravy train it’s become, but I think we’re in danger of overdoing it. You don’t have to be a former competitor to be a top rated professional commentator. Look at some of the best in the business, Murray Walker, Jonathan Agnew, Des Lynam, Steve Ryder and John Motson. Give me those guys any day, compared to the likes of Alan Hansen, Peter Reid and Robbie Savage, who are so predictable in what they always have to say.
On a final note, I just hope that we don’t look back on Sepang as being the start of a calamitous season of in-fighting at Red Bull. Surely common sense will prevail. There’s so much that is good about F1 at present, so let’s not allow this intensifying feud to overshadow what should be a great season’s racing.
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