Max Verstappen appears to be staying out of any potential rivalry between his father Jos and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, following a recent harsh attack on Verstappen’s boss. Jos urged for Horner’s dismissal despite a team investigation exonerated him of any wrongdoing in allegations of inappropriate behavior.
Verstappen Snr broke his silence to the Daily Mail, openly declaring that Horner should leave the squad, which is “in danger of being torn apart”. The controversy did not end with Horner’s exoneration; on Thursday, a Google Drive folder containing claimed WhatsApp exchanges and images between Horner and the colleague who accused him was leaked to F1 journalists, team principals, and other major individuals in the sport.
With the spotlight firmly on Horner rather than racing at the Bahrain Grand Prix, which Verstappen easily won, the Dutchman’s father defied convention and called for Horner’s dismissal.
“There is tension here while he remains in position,” he went on to say. “The team is in risk of breaking apart. It cannot continue the way it is. It will detonate. He is acting like a victim yet he is the one causing the difficulties.”
The question of how much influence his son had on Jos’ astounding words persisted, as two crucial players in his life were at odds. According to BBC Sport, the Red Bull driver saw his father’s comments but did not respond, preferring to remain silent and avoid the mounting scandal.
Red Bull’s official position is that “the team is united” and that they are focusing on the forthcoming Saudi Arabian Grand Prix following their triumph in Bahrain, however several members of the F1 paddock believe Jos is willing to remove his son from the team.
That has been downplayed by all parties, despite Jos meeting with Mercedes CEO Toto Wolff in Bahrain, who is looking for a replacement for Lewis Hamilton, and insisting that “everything is possible” when questioned about Verstappen joining the Silver Arrows.
Verstappen was apparently urged by FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem to openly support Horner in the issue. Verstappen rejected and stayed out of any behind-the-scenes drama because he wanted to concentrate entirely on racing.
Last weekend, the 26-year-old driver failed to show unflinching support for Horner. “From my side, and I think what I can see also from the mechanics and the engineers, we are fully focused on the car and the performance here during the weekend,” he went on to say. “And I believe that is how it should be, and that is what we will continue to do because it is not our business. We aren’t very involved in that.”
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