"They take benefit of parts that are allowed" - Red Bull boss dismisses concerns about 2023 WCC champions' ties with AlphaTauri

Amid growing concerns surrounding the deepening ties between Red Bull and its sister team AlphaTauri, Christian Horner has refuted claims from rivals stating that the second team operates as a customer team.

Red Bull dominated the 2023 F1 season, winning the Constructors' championship by a comfortable margin. In contrast, its sister team AlphaTauri had a forgettable start to the season, as the Italian team battled with the backmarkers and navigated through a series of changes in its driver lineup.

AlphaTauri transformed its fortunes as it aligned its development philosophy with the senior team, inheriting parts. As the season progressed, the Italian team transformed into a regular Top-10 finisher, which has caught the attention of rivals including McLaren.

However, Christian Horner has claimed that the junior team is merely a customer team, operating in the same fashion as many others in the paddock. Citing examples of Williams and Haas, he said on Sky F1 Podcast:

"AlphaTauri is owned by the same shareholders as Red Bull Racing, but of course, the way that they operate is independent from Red Bull Racing, but they take benefit of the parts that are allowed to be transferred, like the gearbox and the suspension and so on, in the same way that Williams and Aston Martin have done so with Mercedes or Haas with Ferrari."

Horner added:

"They’re based in Italy, but they have a new management coming in, Peter Bayer as CEO and Laurent Mekies as team principal and they’re both competitive guys. They both want to compete to move the team forward. And so it has a new drive behind it and essentially, they’re a customer of Red Bull Racing."

It has been a busy winter for AlphaTauri, as it is undergoing a hierarchical reshuffle with Peter Bayer and ex-Ferrari member Laurent Mekies spearheading the team's efforts in 2024. The team's aero department in Bicester will soon be moved to Red Bull's headquarters in Milton Keynes as a part of its restructuring.

AlphaTauri's progress will be closely monitored by its rivals in 2024 as the deepening ties with the reigning champion continue to remain under scrutiny.

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Ford CEO praises Red Bull's 'top-notch' powertrain division

Red Bull is set to introduce its powertrains in 2026, developed in partnership with Ford. Jim Farley, CEO of the American automotive giant, recently visited the powertrain division in Milton Keynes to oversee the progress and crossed paths with Adrian Newey.

Farley was pleased with the progress made by the division and lauded the team's efforts. He said (as quoted by The Mirror):

"Even though [2026] sounds like a long way away, we have a lot of work to do on the powertrain. But I'm really happy with the progress. I wish I could tell you more, but I would say we're on track."

"We've got the best drivers, we've got the best technical support. We have the best of Ford and around the globe to support them. But the team, the powertrain team that they're building in Milton Keynes, is absolutely top notch. We are going first class to the very top of the podium," Farley added.