Red Bull kept its staff off Sky in Mexico after Max Verstappen was left âvery upsetâ by comments referring to his 2021 title win in Abu Dhabi.
Keith Collantine, RaceFans:
The team said this was not the first time this year they'd had cause to complain about Sky's coverage. Nor were their concerns limited to Sky's Englishâlanguage serviceâââwhich broadcasts in the UK, USA and elsewhereâââbut some of its other channels too.
Red Bull team principal Christian Horner indicated it was the description of Hamilton being ârobbedâ that had caused particular offence.
âAccusations of championships being ârobbedâ is something that we don't feel is an impartial commentary,â he said in response to a question from RaceFans. âSo obviously that, we don't feel, [is] in any way fair or balanced.â
Red Bull clearly felt slighted by Sky's coverage. Verstappen called their language âdisrespectfulâ and Horner described it as âderogatoryâ. Whether or not you agree with them likely depends on your interpretation of ârobbedâ in this context: Was the intention to insinuate Red Bull ârobbedâ Hamilton of the title? Or is the team taking offence at the suggestion Hamilton was ârobbedâ by someone else and they indirectly benefited?
Masi lost his job as race director after breaking F1's rules in arranging a lastâlap restart in which Verstappen passed Hamilton to win the world championship. The fact of his error is widely acknowledgedâââeven Horner has since admitted Masi made a âmistakeâ.
Having issues with other comments on Sky's broadcasts? Fine, give those instances as the reasons. But this example specifically? Ted's ârobbedâ comment? Nah, I'm still reading that as a critique against Michael Masi's decision, not againt Red Bull. Sky's UK broadcast team, including Kravitz, are very experienced. They know Formula 1, and they're not stupid. (I obviously don't watch Sky Germany or Sky Italy etc, but that's not what Horner has chosen to highlight specifically. And I'm sure they're also not stupid.)
Perhaps Max Verstappen and Christian Horner felt like, because the 2021 title hinged on Masi, they needed to defend him. Well, I would urge they shouldn't. In a way, Masi robbed Verstappen as well. Because of his decision that nightâââand others that yearâââthat title is now forever slightly spoiled. However honest his Abu Dhabi mistake was, the controversy is not being unwritten. They need to live with that fact as well.
I don't know if any other journalist and commentator put this to them, but I think it'd be interesting to know their thoughts if it was the other way round. If Hamilton benefited from Masi's error, Kravitz was saying Verstappen was robbed, and Toto Wolff and Mercedes gave Sky the blackout.
âMax Verstappen deserved the 2021 titleâ, âRed Bull made the right call in Abu Dhabi that nightâ, and âMichael Masi made a howler of mistakeâ are not conflicting opinions to hold simultaneously.












