Electric Cars

In a significant development for the MotoGP racing series, former Formula 1 team principal Guenther Steiner, leading a consortium of investors, will officially announce the takeover of the Tech3 team. This highly anticipated announcement is scheduled for Friday during the Catalan Grand Prix weekend, marking a new chapter for the satellite team.

The acquisition, reportedly valued at approximately €20 million, was orchestrated with the assistance of Apex, an investment fund known for managing capital for high-profile athletes. Among the notable figures involved is McLaren F1 star Lando Norris, although several other investors, some currently active in Formula 1, have chosen to remain anonymous. This investment aligns with Apex's previous strategic moves, such as their acquisition of a 20% stake in the Alpine F1 team.

This ownership transition has garnered positive reception from key stakeholders, including KTM, who will continue to supply motorcycles to the team until at least 2026, as well as Dorna and Liberty Media, the new majority shareholder of the Spanish company. The existing rider lineup, featuring Maverick Vinales and Enea Bastianini, along with the current staff, will be retained, and the team's operations will remain based in France. While Tech3 co-founder Herve Poncharal had previously denied any agreement, this forthcoming announcement underscores the prevailing sentiment in motorsport that executive interests often shape the landscape. Steiner is expected to gradually assume responsibilities from Poncharal, transitioning from the world of F1 to the unique environment of MotoGP. Both Dorna and Liberty Media anticipate that Steiner's charismatic presence and influence will contribute significantly to MotoGP's international growth, a sentiment echoed by his recent appearance in the Barcelona paddock.

This strategic investment and leadership change underscore a vibrant and evolving motorsport landscape. The infusion of new capital and seasoned leadership often brings fresh perspectives and accelerated growth, benefiting not only the team involved but the sport as a whole. Such transitions remind us that success in competitive fields is often a blend of talent, dedication, and astute business decisions, continually pushing boundaries and inspiring a global audience.

The 2025 Formula 1 season has sparked an intriguing hypothetical: what if Max Verstappen were competing with Racing Bulls instead of Red Bull Racing? This question, often raised by motorsport pundits, delves into the performance differences and underlying philosophies of the two Red Bull-owned teams. While some experts suggest Racing Bulls' vehicle might offer a broader operating window, the official stance from Red Bull emphasizes the fundamental differences in car design, making direct performance comparisons based on driver swaps impractical.

Ralf Schumacher, a well-known Sky analyst, posited that Max Verstappen could potentially contend for the championship even in a Racing Bulls car. His argument centers on the Racing Bulls' car possessing a wider operational scope, implying it could perform consistently across diverse circuits. Schumacher further suggested that if Verstappen were part of Racing Bulls, his extensive experience could significantly influence the car's technical evolution, leading to a different development trajectory.

Supporting this theory, current data indicates that Liam Lawson has accumulated more points for Racing Bulls than Yuki Tsunoda for Red Bull Racing, highlighting the perceived ease of use or broader performance window of the junior team's car. However, Red Bull has refrained from testing Verstappen in the VCARB 02, primarily to avoid undermining the perception of independence between their two Formula 1 entities, an aspect closely scrutinized by competitors.

David Coulthard expressed skepticism about the need for a Verstappen test, noting that teams already possess ample data to compare car performance. He believes that while Verstappen's input could offer unique insights, his exceptional driving ability would likely enable him to extract maximum performance from any car, regardless of its characteristics. Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the distinct origins and development paths of the two cars preclude any direct transferability of performance insights.

Despite the official position, the narrative persists that the Racing Bulls car is more forgiving to drive compared to Red Bull's RB21. While the RB21 might offer superior peak performance, its narrower operating window demands a highly specialized driving style, which only a few, like Verstappen, seem capable of mastering consistently. Alan Permane, Mekies' successor at Racing Bulls, clarifies that the VCARB 02's perceived ease of driving stems from its design allowing engineers to easily optimize its aerodynamic window, rather than it being inherently "rookie-friendly." He asserts that top-tier drivers would also find it comfortable and capable of delivering strong results.

The idea of Max Verstappen piloting a Racing Bulls car remains a compelling, yet unrealized, scenario. Even if such a test could provide valuable comparative data, the imperative to maintain the appearance of independent operations for regulatory purposes prevents it. This contrasts sharply with past eras in Formula 1, such as Michael Schumacher's test with Sauber in 1997, when team independence was not the critical concern it is in contemporary motorsport.