F1 boss HITS BACK over new team accusations

A Formula 1 boss has delivered a strong response to claims made by one of his disgruntled star drivers.

Following events at last weekend's Spanish Grand Prix - won by reigning champion Max Verstappen - a number of teams are still struggling to make an impression on the top half of the order.

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Despite having two of the grid's most experienced drivers in Nico Hulkenberg and Kevin Magnussen, Haas have collected just seven points over the first 10 races, whilst Williams have earned just two.

Until recently, Alpine looked set for a tough campaign, but both drivers have finished in the top10 at the last two circuits, and so things may be looking up for the French outfit.

At the bottom of the standings sit Sauber, currently pointless as the season approaches its midway point.

Focus shifting too far to the future?

The Swiss team will be replaced on the F1 grid by Audi in 2026, and have already started planning for the future by signing Hulkenberg on a multi-year deal.

The German will join Sauber next season ahead of Audi's introduction to the sport, meaning their current driver duo of Valtteri Bottas and Zhou Guanyu are fighting for their F1 seats.

Former Mercedes star Bottas has now hinted that the team may be more concerned with their future plans than improving thing in the here and now.

"Obviously, there have been quite a few things going on in the team for a better future," Bottas said, as quoted by Motorsport.com.

"We've made jumps, but not big enough. But like I said, I think it's more for the future that the big goals are."

However, his boss Alessandro Alunni Bravi, has hit back at those claims, stating that preparation for 2026 is not having any impact on the team's discouraging performances.

"I think it's a mistake to mix both things," he said. "I don't think that the preparation for the Audi works team is affecting the current two seasons, and it must not.

"I don't think that there are two separate tasks to be done, one for the works team and one for the current team.

"There are not two separate teams - there is one team that needs to be the foundation for the works team."

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