Red Bull under attack as rival team offering double the salary to vulnerable staff post Christian Horner exit: Reports

Fresh reports suggest that F1 newcomers Cadillac are in the market looking to poach Red Bull employees after former team principal Christian Horner was sacked. The American team is reportedly offering double the salary to bring some experience into its setup directly from Milton Keynes.

Reportedly, Red Bull Racing might be looking at a potential mass exodus in the months to come, as team personnel were reportedly unhappy with the firing of former team boss Christian Horner. In July, the Times had even reported that the staff at the Austrian team was "vulnerable" to approach from other teams on the grid.

New reports, via F1oversteer, have suggested that F1's newest team, Cadillac, was looking to poach much of the Red Bull staff, as the American team flexed its financial power before even entering the grid.

Veteran journalist Roger Benoit has also reported that Cadillac was willing to offer new staff double their current salaries, with Red Bull on the radar as a "particularly fruitful ground."

Horner was reportedly fired because his absolute power within the Red Bull Racing setup did not sit well with the Austrian faction of the team management, who have now taken up a much more influential role in the running of the F1 outfit. The Briton was responsible for setting up the Milton Keynes F1 factory, and the British staff there was reportedly loyal to the 51-year-old.

This is why a mass exodus is a real worry for the 6-time constructors' championship-winning team. Earlier in August, F1 journalist Joe Saward also reported that numerous employees within the team have contractual clauses that linked them to Horner, making the situation even more interesting if true.

---

Cadillac tapping up every F1 team, not just Red Bull, claims Benoit

Team Principal of Cadillac F1 Graeme Lowdon at the Miami Grand Prix - Source: Getty

Roger Benoit has reported that the Cadillac F1 team was not just looking to get employees from Red Bull but also from other teams on the grid. The team had a launch party in Miami earlier this year in May.

Speaking to Motorsport-Magazin Talk, Benoit explained that Cadillac was going for engineers and technicians from all F1 teams, offering them double the salary.

"They are currently visiting all teams, asking all engineers and technicians [to join them] and offering double pay. So someone gets 100 thousand dollars at one team, and they say, "With us, you get 200 thousand'," explained Benoit, via the aforementioned source.

Benoit also stated that this might not be a sustainable way to go about it for the American team, who would be better off with a clearer hiring policy.

F1 teams are also bound by the financial cap, which also extends to the salaries of all management and engineering staff at the team. However, the top three employees at any team [excluding the drivers] are exempt from this salary cap.