Flavio Briatore has criticised Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, describing him as ‘weak’ and a manager with ‘no balls’ following the Malaysian Grand Prix controversy.
With Sebastian Vettel ignoring team orders not to overtake team-mate Mark Webber, Briatore – who manages the Australian – said a team boss with any authority would have ordered them to switch places again.
“Vettel is the boss there,” he told RAI Radio. “If there was a manager with balls, he would have had them switch positions again.
“The problem is that there are two people with different ideas on the pit wall, with Helmut [Marko] behind them doing the talking with Mateschitz, so you understand they are all scared.”
He criticised Horner’s decision not to join his drivers on the podium, instead sending design guru Adrian Newey up.
“Normally the team principal goes on the podium at the first race win of the season,” he added.
“Christian didn’t even have the strength to get on the podium – because they’re terrified with a driver in charge instead of the team manager. You’d first go yourself if you win the championship or the first race, and after that you’d send race engineers or your technical director.
“The fact that Christian didn’t go on the podium after scoring a one-two says a lot about his weakness compared to the others.”
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