SIR JIM RATCLIFFE stunned viewers after popping up on TV screens at Formula One’s season opener in Australia.
The Ineos chief was at the Albert Park race over the weekend with the Mercedes F1 team, which Ratcliffe owns a third of.
The chaotic race was won by McLaren’s Lando Norris while Lewis Hamilton was left fuming at his new Ferrari team.
But there was delight for Mercedes as George Russell scored a podium by finishing third and rookie Kimi Antonelli produced a strong recovery drive to go from P16 to finish P4 on his debut.
While Ratcliffe would have been celebrating the success of the team, who now sit joint top in the F1 constructors’ championship, it was a far cry from the week he has had dealing with another of his teams.
The British billionaire, 70, has had a nightmare week following a series of interviews he gave on Monday regarding his investment in Manchester United.
Ratcliffe took a 27.7 per cent share last February, but his first year of managing the Red Devils has been overshadowed by controversial decisions and poor performances on the pitch.
Man Utd sit 14th in the Premier League table and have only one realistic chance of playing in Europe next season via victory in the Europa League.
Off the pitch, the club are £1billion in debt, including £300millon in transfer fees owed for players.
Unpopular decisions have been made by the new club hierarchy brought in by Ratcliffe, ranging from the removal of a £40,000 donation to the Former Players Association, the sacking of 250 staff last summer, with up to another 200 set to follow, and the removal of concessionary pricing for tickets.
He also blasted the squad as “not good enough” and addressed mistakes he and the management team have made, including the sackings of Erik ten Hag and Dan Ashworth.
That set of interviews came the day before Man Utd announced plans for a new 100,000-seater stadium.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Lewis Hamilton blasts ‘big opportunity missed’ after Ferrari strategy blunder at F1 Australia Grand Prix” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6370105769112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]And yesterday another Ratcliffe interview was released in which he planted the blame for the club’s demise at the feet of Ed Woodward and Richard Arnold rather than the much-maligned majority owners, the Glazers.
Ratcliffe admitted if he got the same level of abuse the American owners got he would consider quitting his role, while he insisted the Glazers were “decent people”.
Reacting to his appearance in the Melbourne F1 paddock, one social media user said: “Sir Jim Ratcliffe is hiding in Australia with the F1.”
A second said: “Jim Ratcliffe in the Mercedes garage instead of building Zippos circus for Utd.”
A third said: “Saw Jim Ratcliffe appear on the screen on the f1 and screamed.”
Man Utd take on Leicester this evening, and Ratcliffe will be hoping another one of his sporting investments can have a good day.
