Formula 1's unlikely partners in strife
How could the Formula 1 futures of Red Bull and Lotus become so delicately poised? DIETER RENCKEN tracks their fortunes, and warns of another looming threat to their presence on the grid
"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us..."
Thus opens A Tale of Two Cities, Charles Dickens's classic novel in which peasants were hounded by aristocracy, ahead of the French Revolution. Substitute 'teams' for 'cities' - Red Bull Racing and Lotus, specifically - 'aristocracy' with Formula 1's commercial masters and 'peasants' with fans, and those wise words apply as readily to 21st century Formula 1 as to revolutionary Europe 200-plus years ago.
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