52 replies to this topic

[prty]

I find interesting that the considered primary authority in F1 enjoy such a close relationship to one of the team bosses. For example Horner was also one of the four attendees to his wedding, and of course the only team boss. It is also interesting that Horner is the team boss of the team which has been dominating for the last 4 years, knowing that Ecclestone has been linked to "honest" acts such as bribery.



Also Dietrich Mateschitz was there.

http://nadia8barca.t...rner-and-bernie
http://www.dailymail...Ecclestone.html
http://www1.skysport...at-happiness-is
http://www.michael-s...ate-en-croacia/

Thoughts? Do non Vettel/RBB fans feel comfortable seeing that?

Edited by prty, 09 August 2013 - 10:38.

[SpaMaster]

Okay... They have a long way to go reach the Ferrari levels.

[F1ultimate]

It's difficult to interpret.

Will Horner succeed Bernie?
Is Red Bull jocking for a larger slice of F1 revenue?

[femi]

It's difficult to interpret.

Will Horner succeed Bernie?
Is Red Bull jocking for a larger slice of F1 revenue?

No not Horner, Mateschitz

[JHSingo]

Aw, how sweet.

Who cares?

[dau]

Another two weeks of this...

[maverick69]

I see Bernie is looking to buy a hat so Horner has somewhere to rest his pint......

[Grundle]

Wasn't there a thread about Horner being Bernies mole? Seems more to that now.

[stillOrange]

I hope they had great time and the weather seemed good.

[Radion]

I smell conspiracy!

[BobbyRicky]

Wasn't there a thread about Horner being Bernies mole? Seems more to that now.

Or maybe they are just good friends?

[goingthedistance]

This seems to be an annual event.

Apparenty Bernie is pushing for Kimi at RBR so there would have been some interesting conversations.

[peroa]

Well, it's not the first year, they've been in Croatia together for a few years now, IIRC.

[maverick69]

On a more serious note - I think it is obvious that Bernie has identified Horner as his replacement.

Horner is a canny operator in the political circles of F1 (like Bernie), is an Anglo (like Bernie), is a former racing driver (like Bernie), and has successfully ran a racing team (like Bernie). More to the point, he is young enough not to have been tainted by the rather volatile past - and as a result he has not crossed Bernie.

Edited by maverick69, 09 August 2013 - 11:39.

[Headspin]

So FINALLY we found reason, other than Newey, why Vettel has been winning despite his apparent lack of pedalling skills. Looks like you, dear prty, found undisputable proof that Vettel's succes is only because of Bernie <3 Horner (did I mention Newey already?), in other words he can't drive for sh*t. Bravo.

[Timstr11]

Horner isn't called ''Mini Bernie'' for no reason.

[stillOrange]

On a more serious note - I think it is obvious that Bernie has identified Horner as his replacement.

Obviously if that's true, Horner will have to marry Tamara, won't he?

[maverick69]

Obviously if that's true, Horner will have to marry Tamara, won't he?

Lol. Not a bad perk!

[ashley313]

The only thing I'm uncomfortable with in these photos is a grown ass man wearing cargo shorts.

[dau]

Horner isn't called ''Mini Bernie'' for no reason.

By whom other than yourself?

[jimjimjeroo]

Isn't this pic 2-3 years old?

[03011969]

Horner isn't called ''Mini Bernie'' for no reason.

How could you have a Mini Bernie? Bernie is already mini.

More of a 'Micro Bernie'.

[g1n]

I see Bernie is looking to buy a hat so Horner has somewhere to rest his pint......

[femi]

Won't Bernie's replacement be required to be quite heeled like Bernie is? CH doesn't fit that bill, Dietrich Mateschitz does. Besides, CH isn't in the class of businessmen like Bernie or Mateschitz are.

I think what may be happening is RB looking for influence. What is in it for Bernie?

[V3TT3L]

;) Now... where is that picture of Horny looking at Bernie's brazilian wife butt ?

[Timstr11]

By whom other than yourself?

I read some time ago that Horner is called 'Mini Bernie' in paddock circles because he's chummy with BE.

Edited by Timstr11, 09 August 2013 - 14:50.

[JaredS]

I find interesting that the considered primary authority in F1 enjoy such a close relationship to one of the team bosses. For example Horner was also one of the four attendees to his wedding, and of course the only team boss. It is also interesting that Horner is the team boss of the team which has been dominating for the last 4 years, knowing that Ecclestone has been linked to "honest" acts such as bribery.



Also Dietrich Mateschitz was there.

http://nadia8barca.t...rner-and-bernie
http://www.dailymail...Ecclestone.html
http://www1.skysport...at-happiness-is
http://www.michael-s...ate-en-croacia/

Thoughts? Do non Vettel/RBB fans feel comfortable seeing that?

Hmmm interesting. Do you think it worked in a similar way when Bernie was great friends with Briatore and Renault and Alonso won 2 titles in 2005 and 2006?

[SanDiegoGo]

I read some time ago that Horner is called 'Mini Bernie' in paddock circles because he's chummy with BE.

And the other team heads know he is Bernie's inside man. Having Bernie as a good friend has certainly helped Red Bull.

[bourbon]

Wait, Ldm/Todt is just fine, but you got problems with Bernie/Horner?

[kosmos]

Wait, Ldm/Todt is just fine,

Is fine what?, is well known that they are not BFF this days.

[DanardiF1]

Unless they're buying the exact same hats again, I think I saw this photo last year...

Either way does anyone not think it would make sense for a team boss to strike up a friendship with the guy in charge of the whole operation!?! They all have to consider the business side of their teams and Bernie hasn't got where he is now by being cold towards teams and their owners/management.

Perhaps Horner is being primed to take over from Bernie... from one successful team boss to another.

[sopa]

Horner is only 39 (?) years old. There is so much career ahead of him that I think it is very logical once Red Bull pulls out or some other change comes, Horner will pursue another role in the sports management. Like Todt has become FIA president after being Ferrari team boss.

[Atreiu]

That is not enough to form a murky conspiracy.

[Group B]

Another two weeks of this...

Quite.

[BRG]

Ah well, at least we know that there is someone who will visit Bernie in jail.

[DanardiF1]

Ah well, at least we know that there is someone who will visit Bernie in jail.

Max might, just to get a sense of the decor...

Edited by DanardiF1, 10 August 2013 - 18:22.

[F1Champion]

I kinda find it strange as Bernie is a very selective individual. He rarely mixes with F1 people outside of the paddock. People talk about speaking with Bernie in the paddock and that they are friends with him but they rarely say that they see him outside of F1.

Bernie picking Horner to go on holiday is telling. I kinda get the feeling that Bernie doesn't like F1 team bosses, maybe he thinks they are bickering kids that he always has to school. For him to go on holiday with one is telling. How many people in live go on holiday with a work colleague?

Edited by F1Champion, 10 August 2013 - 18:57.

[pRy]

On the subject of succession, Christian would be a good replacement for Bernie. There will never be another Bernie, but Christian has enough experience of the industry and how the sport works to do what would be required. I'd much rather see that than someone from the outside come in.

[Group B]

I read some time ago that Horner is called 'Mini Bernie' in paddock circles because he's chummy with BE.

Must be very small circles, I can't find a single mention of it ever being used by anyone on Google.

[g1n]

Must be very small circles, I can't find a single mention of it ever being used by anyone on Google.

Did a quick google and found this http://www.planet-f1...Paddock-Battles. Originally though I heard this "mini bernie" from someone who works in f1 during an interview, can't remember who it was though.

[Group B]

How many people in live go on holiday with a work colleague?

It's not common, but it's far from unknown.

The reality is that once a certain team/driver has been at the top for more than a couple of years in this game the more, shall we say 'passionate' fans of other teams and drivers start looking for pretty much anything to make that success seem illegitimate, and I really struggle to see anything different here. You don't need dodgy spyshots of hat-shopping to explain RB's success, it's far more obvious; best designer + joint best driver + team that's made least mistakes, all aided by their chief opposition dropping the ball too often. None of which falls within the poison dwarf's influence.

[study]

True, but then you can also think back to the flexy wings that were allowed, maybe Bernie showed influence there, plus the situation where Redbull get a larger percentage then all the other teams, see it can work other ways.

[bourbon]

How many people in live go on holiday with a work colleague?

Why do you try to compare real life to Bernie's life?

[TriumphST]

Max might, just to get a sense of the decor...

Like it..

[redreni]

It's not common, but it's far from unknown.

The reality is that once a certain team/driver has been at the top for more than a couple of years in this game the more, shall we say 'passionate' fans of other teams and drivers start looking for pretty much anything to make that success seem illegitimate, and I really struggle to see anything different here. You don't need dodgy spyshots of hat-shopping to explain RB's success, it's far more obvious; best designer + joint best driver + team that's made least mistakes, all aided by their chief opposition dropping the ball too often. None of which falls within the poison dwarf's influence.

Mmm, Whiting falls under the poison dwarf's influence, though. You know, the Whiting who allowed RBR to race with illegal engine maps and illegal ride-height adjusment mechanisms last year. Last year's title was close, and it makes a difference to have that kind of help.

I'm not saying I swallow the conspiracy theory, by the way, just observing that Horner seems to be willing to invest time and effort outside working hours to sucking up to Bernie, I doubt it's a gay love thing, so I assume Horner feels his team gets some kind of (admittedly marginal) advantage out of being in Bernie's good books. It is probably poliically difficult for Whiting and his boys to turn a team that's in Bernie's good books away from pre-event scrutinering and tell them to come back when they have a legal car - much easier to wave them through but just ask them nicely if they wouldn't mind bringing a legal car to the next event...

[JaredS]

I read some time ago that Horner is called 'Mini Bernie' in paddock circles because he's chummy with BE.

Must be very small circles, I can't find a single mention of it ever being used by anyone on Google.

Did a quick google and found this http://www.planet-f1...Paddock-Battles. Originally though I heard this "mini bernie" from someone who works in f1 during an interview, can't remember who it was though.

It's not common, but it's far from unknown.

The reality is that once a certain team/driver has been at the top for more than a couple of years in this game the more, shall we say 'passionate' fans of other teams and drivers start looking for pretty much anything to make that success seem illegitimate, and I really struggle to see anything different here. You don't need dodgy spyshots of hat-shopping to explain RB's success, it's far more obvious; best designer + joint best driver + team that's made least mistakes, all aided by their chief opposition dropping the ball too often. None of which falls within the poison dwarf's influence.

Well from the link that g1n posted in response to your question:

Christian Horner vs The F1 Paddock
As alluded to in the ("most ticklesome") Secret Diary of Adrian Newey this week, there are suspicions in the paddock that top-level F1 discussions are being relayed back to Bernie Ecclestone. F1's top investigative journalist, Autosport's fearless Dieter Rencken, has even postulated that F1 team bosses are colluding to set up dummy discussions to see how much of it gets back to Bernie. Hence the nickname for Christian, 'Mini Bernie'.

Another interesting article http://us.generation...c-54106692.html

All this led rival team bosses to make increasingly snide comments about
Red Bull's management, with some referring to Horner as 'Mini Bernie'.
Game-playing was very much in evidence: for example, in Malaysia a group
of team principals met in full view of RBR's hospitality in the belief
that they would be spotted and the absent Ecclestone informed.
According to one it took all of two minutes before Horner was seen on
the telephone. "He could, of course, have been calling home?" said one
with a wink"

Look I don't disagree with you that success is a combination of best car + best driver + best team strategies relative to the competition. But you seem to have glossed over the best car bit without looking at possible links of corruption. No doubt Newey's creation is fantastic and should be lauded, but on the other hand its performance was also helped by certain illegal aspects that went without punishment. How else do you explain the FACT that they were found to have breached the sporting regulation regarding suspension adjustability in Canada 2012 but were not punished for clearly breaching the regulation? Or has that been glossed over too?

[Talisman]

On a more serious note - I think it is obvious that Bernie has identified Horner as his replacement.

Isn't it more the case that Horner aspires to be Bernie's replacement?

[study]

I don't see anything unusual going on holiday with work mates.

I do think something unusual going on holiday with Bernie.

[study]

I don't see anything unusual going on holiday with work mates.

I do think something unusual going on holiday with Bernie.

[Vic Vega]

NatGeo commissioned a new series titled "The pigeon whisperer".

On the other hand, Horner seems to be happy in the rip off capital of Croatia.

 

EDIT: Repaired broken links.

Edited by Vic Vega, 04 June 2014 - 16:40.