AtaraxiaAt Asteriazine, we are passionate about sports, especially Formula 1. We love cars, speed, competition, podiums filled with confetti and champagne, and all the values this sport promotes, such as pushing oneself, never giving up, mutual support, and team spirit. However, every light has its shadow, and here is the dark side of a sport that gives us as much adrenaline in races as in real life.
As you may know, for over three years now, one team in particular has been giving wings to its drivers, especially its champion Max Verstappen. But what about the director of the same team, Christian Horner? While Formula 1, a male-dominated sport, claims to be open to the arrival of women and wants to be a mixed sport, women are still not given much attention and apparently are still not respected.
The director of the Red Bull team was the subject of an “internal investigation” at the beginning of the year. The main person involved is accused of inappropriate behavior and misconduct towards one of his female colleagues. The FIA conducted an internal investigation to prove the facts he is accused of.
Mr. Horner denies everything, but if he has nothing to hide, why did he try to cover up the matter? Why are women still not believed when they report inappropriate behavior? Because yes, it is a case of sexual assault.
The FIA has not published a final report regarding this investigation, but Mr. Horner has not been sanctioned following this “incident” and is deemed innocent. However, the woman who reported the facts was sanctioned, had her salary reduced, and was eventually fired from the team.
You may wonder what this has to do with the famous series Gossip Girl. Well, it seems someone was not happy with the way the investigation was handled and anonymously sent an email to all the teams and journalists containing all the messages Christian Horner sent to his former colleague.
Despite this, the accused received no sanction, and the victim has filed a complaint and the case is under review.
We still do not know who sent the anonymous email, but whoever you are, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for proving and making accessible clear evidence of an injustice that needs to be rectified.
Another drama that caught attention during the Canadian Grand Prix involves our beloved team Mercedes. For those who follow Formula 1, you know that Sir Lewis Hamilton has had many issues this year with his car. It’s surprising that a seven-time world champion cannot find balance with a car that not so long ago was at the top of the constructors’ standings. Even more surprising is that these problems arise the year Lewis decides to move to Ferrari.
During the annual Canadian Grand Prix, an anonymous report was sent out revealing that our favorite knight’s car had been tampered with and that the difficulties he encountered with his iron steed were intentional.
The team director, Toto Wolff, stated that despite the rumors, the person behind the email is not part of the Mercedes team.
So, our dear anonymous Gossip Girl, thank you for highlighting injustices in this tough sport. Whether it’s the same person or different entities, we are happy to see things changing and giving credit to those undermined in this unique world.
Continuing with accusations and borderline mysogynist behavior, the FIA accused Susie Wolff of a conflict of interest due to her relationship with the Mercedes F1 team director, Toto Wolff. For the record, Susie Wolff is a former driver and director of the F1 Academy, established to promote women in motorsports, particularly Formula 1. Given her career, she should not be relegated to the status of “wife of” and her role should not be questioned.
Susie declared in mid-March that she had filed a complaint against the FIA for these misogynistic accusations.
To conclude this article, we want to highlight that the FIA director (Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile) is accused of intervening in the result of last year’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix and of instructing his teams to find a solution to prevent the Las Vegas circuit from being approved. Let us remember that Mohammed Ben Sulayem was also accused of harassment and mysogyny at the end of 2023.
All these recent events since the end of 2023 make us question whether access to this sport is truly equitable by gender and raise concerns about the ethics of some current leaders.
Finally, as a woman, I want to thank Susie Wolff for all her efforts to include women, and we want to highlight driver Lewis Hamilton, who never hesitates to promote and support women and LGBTQIA+ individuals in the automotive world and everyday life.
Note: If you are a woman experiencing any type of assault, speak up. 3919, Violence Women Info, is the national hotline for listening and directing women victims of violence (France, free and anonymous call 24/7).
