Red Bull boss Christian Horner has been summoned to meet with management after the Qatar Grand Prix for allegedly breaching the FIA’s International Sports Rules.
In a remarkable turn of events in a week dominated by investigations by F1 managers, a summons was issued shortly after the race, alleging a breach of Article 12.2.1 f) and 12.2.1k) of the Sports Code.
Horner will meet the administrators at 7:15 p.m. local time.
Horner has been outspoken about some of the manager’s decisions over the past two weeks, with Red Bull’s title battle with Mercedes spilled off the track in Brazil and Qatar.
Those two parts of the code read as follows:
Article 12.2.1.f Any words, actions or writings that cause emotional harm or loss to the FIA, its agencies, members or executives, and generally in relation to its interests. motorsport and values protected by the FIA.
12.2.1.k Any Misconduct with respect to:
• licensee,
• officials,
• an officer or employee of the FIA,
• a member of the Organizer’s staff or promoter,
• a member of a Competitor’s staff,
• doping control officials or any other person involved in doping control conducted in accordance with Schedule A.
On Sunday, Red Bull’s Max Verstappen was given a five-second penalty for not running slow for a yellow flag during qualifying.
Before the race, Horner criticized Sky Sports’ decision, saying the FIA needed “mature people to make mature decisions”. It is yet to be confirmed which comment has been raised regarding this summons.
Speaking further about Verstappen’s punishment, Horner argued that the police chief waving a yellow flag on the roadside acted independently of the FIA>
“We’re really struggling to understand it. It looks like a complete ball.
“The FIA has effectively said ‘play on, safe circuit, clear’. Max is in the first field, we have plenty of time to look at it. Dash, everything for him. If he had been specified otherwise, we would of course, have informed him. Unfortunately, there was a yellow flag, he didn’t see it. He saw the white flag. [panel], he saw the car, he even saw the green light on the right.
“I think it was just a sheriff planting a flag.
“It’s a major blow in the championship for us. We’re starting P7 right now on a track you can’t get past. That’s huge.”
