Horner to become RBR boss (confirmed)

cos · 6 Jan 2005, 19:31 (Ref:1194667)

Autosport are saying that Arden team boss Christian Horner is set to be announced as Red Bull Racing's boss on Friday.
Guess that means the Jordan deal is off (finally) and now the team can move forward with one clear person in charge - it seemed a bit confusing recently as to who was actually in charge of RBR...

BootsOntheSide · 6 Jan 2005, 19:49 (Ref:1194681)

What does this mean for Pitchforth and Purnell though? How will the exact roles be defined? Christian's an apt choice though - Arden are sponsored by a vodka manufacturer.

Kicking-back · 6 Jan 2005, 19:52 (Ref:1194684)

Lets hope this doesn't mean the end of Arden in GP2.

BSchneiderFan · 6 Jan 2005, 19:56 (Ref:1194691)

No suggestion that Arden will be wound up for now; after all, Horner presumably isn't bringing any of his finance to the Red Bull party.

It'll be interesting to see how he performs as an F1 team boss. Will he be the youngest?

Super Tourer · 6 Jan 2005, 20:01 (Ref:1194699)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

Lets hope this doesn't mean the end of Arden in GP2.

I've seen that Red Bull are placing Scott Speed with iSport in GP2 (formerly Petrobras,Den Bla Avis etc), you would imagine that if Horner were to be RBR boss that Red Bull would fund Arden as well, maybe Arden will not do GP2?

I have seen some murmourings about management changes at RBR so it fits with the rumour mill.

Kicking-back · 6 Jan 2005, 20:03 (Ref:1194700)

I think Horner actually has a team management structure in place who would run Arden, thinking about it.

They've contracturally committed to GP2, so I doubt they'd withdraw.

Super Tourer · 6 Jan 2005, 20:03 (Ref:1194701)

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSchneiderFan

No suggestion that Arden will be wound up for now; after all, Horner presumably isn't bringing any of his finance to the Red Bull party.

It'll be interesting to see how he performs as an F1 team boss. Will he be the youngest?

He will be the youngest current boss if he runs RBR, as for the youngest ever that will take some delving !

Kicking-back · 6 Jan 2005, 20:04 (Ref:1194702)

He's in his early thirties.

Ron Dennis was 33 when he took over McLaren.

**GTRMagic** · 6 Jan 2005, 20:05 (Ref:1194704)

Quote:

Originally Posted by cos

Autosport are saying that Arden team boss Christian Horner is set to be announced as Red Bull Racing's boss on Friday.
Guess that means the Jordan deal is off (finally) and now the team can move forward with one clear person in charge - it seemed a bit confusing recently as to who was actually in charge of RBR...

RBR seems to have caught the Jaguar disease of a couple of seasons ago... too many bosses, shedloads of speculation... with the theory seemingly as long as someone is talking about you, they will buy your silver and blue cans of fizzolator...

Super Tourer · 6 Jan 2005, 20:09 (Ref:1194710)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kicking-back

I think Horner actually has a team management structure in place who would run Arden, thinking about it.

They've contracturally committed to GP2, so I doubt they'd withdraw.

It seems that Arden will do GP2 and the word is that Heikki Kovalainen looks favourite for one seat - who is of course under contract to Renault. Which is a nice link as RBR are alleged to be looking for an alternative engine supply for 2006.

Please allow me to start the 2006 rumour mill with Kovalainen to RBR in 2006 taking Renault engines with him....

DEADDUCK · 6 Jan 2005, 20:23 (Ref:1194721)

Who is the Vodka company that sponsors Arden? and if Horner is going to RBR you would think he would have a RB driver in his GP2 team which unless Lauda goes there I can not see it happening as Flemming and Speed now have seats for 2005.

Russfeld · 6 Jan 2005, 21:18 (Ref:1194757)

There's a Vodka company at Arden?

I dont think any F30000 team bosses are F1 capable, its much more a driver experience series than a team series.

Silk Cut Jaguar · 6 Jan 2005, 22:24 (Ref:1194804)

This all reminds of me of the Rahal/Lauda era.

Who is running Red Bull now? There seems to be a new management setup announced every other day.

Testure · 6 Jan 2005, 22:25 (Ref:1194805)

Seems I'm not the only one who reads grandprix.com, eh Super Tourer?

I don't understand this, though. What's the point? Are Pitchforth and Purnell being moved on or is Horner going to somehow become their boss? Have they done a bad job? What does Horner add that Pitchforth and Purnell don't already have? F3000 team management is waaaaaay different from F1 management.

This smells like typical half-baked Red Bull politics...

Logrence · 6 Jan 2005, 23:33 (Ref:1194852)

I don't see why Horner would be brought in to run the team...?

Mateschitz has already turned down sponsorship from the company that own Smirnoff, and this is how McLaren got the Johnny Walker deal (same company) - Mateschitz is against any vodka producer sponsoring the team.

As for Purnell and Pitchforth - they're respected in the team, and they're respected within F1...they're doing a good job, why change them?

Nicholosophy · 7 Jan 2005, 03:51 (Ref:1194933)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Logrence

I don't see why Horner would be brought in to run the team...?

Perhaps Mateschitz wants something to be his eyes and ears at RBR, so he can just treat it like another part of his business. He is probably very busy running Red Bull as a group, and having someone with Motorsport experience to watch things and report to him might be good for him. Whether it will work for RBR or not is another matter, and only time will tell.

It's also a win-win deal for Horner, as (presumably) he gets paid to work in the big league, gets inside knowledge that you can only get by being there, gains new experience, and regardless of whether he suceeds or fails, can take this experience back to Arden.

He can then realisitically think whether Arden will be better off staying in GP2 (or wherever they are racing at the time) or should make the step up to F1 by buying a team or starting their own. Horner would be mad to not do it, as long as Arden is will structured and can look after itself.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Logrence

As for Purnell and Pitchforth - they're respected in the team, and they're respected within F1...they're doing a good job, why change them?

They belong to the old guard, so to speak. Whenever someone in business takes over a company, they clear out the old people at the top and replace them with new people, unless they are really special or really good at their job.

If Mateschitz feels that they aren't giving RBR what they need, or are promoting a different line to what he wants, then he will get rid of them. Might not make sense to anyone else, but he's a businessman first and foremost, and that's what you do in business.

Kicking-back · 7 Jan 2005, 06:52 (Ref:1194974)

Purnell has a background as an engineering company boss - and he may be the man to lead that side of the business.

Pitchforth is a businessman, I understand - and Horner has the experience of managing a racing team.

There could be clear roles for all of them here.

Gabrio · 7 Jan 2005, 09:40 (Ref:1195071)

I was reading on Autosport.com that when Pitchforth stated that he did not agree to Klien and Liuzzi alternating seats, Marko answered through the press pretty brutally.....
see http://www.autosport.com/newsitem.asp?id=41348&s=5

Super Tourer · 7 Jan 2005, 09:55 (Ref:1195082)

I think there is a certain faction element within the team, which is a shame as they have seemingly gone from one faction to another, hopefully someone will look back (and remember) the Jag Racing mistakes of the past, and not repeat them.

DM is in the middle, with Marko on one hand putting his ideas and case, with Purnell and Pitchforth putting their case from the UK.

I'm sure a lot of it gets blown out of proportion and it will settle down, but if RBR do make changes they need to be careful not to 'throw the baby out with the bath water' as the previous management did on many occasions.

Kicking-back · 7 Jan 2005, 10:31 (Ref:1195115)

BREAKING NEWS:

Purnell and Pitchforth have left their jobs.

Gabrio · 7 Jan 2005, 10:36 (Ref:1195121)

And who the heck is going to take care of the tech side now ?

Super Tourer · 7 Jan 2005, 10:37 (Ref:1195122)

Yep - it's all change for Purnell and Pitchforth who have left the team.

Christian Horner, most recently the very successful head of the Arden Formula 3000 team, has moved up to Formula One.

The 31-year-old Briton has been named Sporting Director of Red Bull Racing, effective immediately

http://f1.racing-live.com/en/index.h...07112525.shtml

Kicking-back · 7 Jan 2005, 10:38 (Ref:1195126)

New Technical Director will be announced next week.

Super Tourer · 7 Jan 2005, 10:41 (Ref:1195129)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gabrio

And who the heck is going to take care of the tech side now ?

Horner will jointly manage Red Bull Racing together with a new Technical Director, whose appointment will be announced within the next week.

http://f1.racing-live.com/en/index.html

Who is availabe I wonder - ex Sauber designer Rhinland is a possibility he will know DM through Red Bull's sponsorship and part ownership of Sauber. Aside from that I can't see any poaching of a designer within F1 at this stage of the season.

Kicking-back · 7 Jan 2005, 10:46 (Ref:1195132)

It could be someone who's already in the team being promoted.

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