Lewis Hamilton has told Max Verstappen that his father’s role in his Formula One career puts him on a “very thin line.”
After weeks of Red Bull talking about unity in the face of the Christian Horner inquiry, Jos exposed internal divisions when he was captured on tape in a furious discussion with the Red Bull team boss.
‘But when business is involved, that makes things very tough.’
He then went to two publications, the Daily Mail and De Telegraaf, to demand Horner’s resignation before Red Bull “explodes”.
The team has subsequently issued a statement declaring that there is no animosity between the two camps, although rumors have been swirling since the weekend.
Verstappen defended his father when asked if he regretted his words.
“I haven’t asked him that,” said the triple World Champion. “But my dad, from what I know in go-karting, is very outspoken and not a liar, that is for sure.” My dad and I are quite close. We make calls every day.
Hamilton, whose father Anthony oversaw his early career, believes that having a parent engaged can be a “very difficult” situation.
“I think it is a very thin line to walk,” he told reporters. “I believe it also depends on your relationship with your parents.
“You meet some individuals who have a terrific relationship with their parents, and they’ve been wonderful parents, and then you meet others who have had awful relationships. And it is not necessarily their parents who have been kind to them.
“So I’m not sure about his [Verstappen’s] relationships. Obviously, you hear stuff now and again. But Max is a grown man, a champion, and I am certain he can make his own judgments.
“But I think in our environment, as drivers, it’s extremely simple to be deceived by individuals whispering in your ear and possibly not steering you in the proper direction.
“I’m not suggesting that’s the situation there; they’re doing fantastic.
“But I know that in sports, other athletes that I’ve spoken to that I see, whether it’s in tennis, and I’ve lived it, when you don’t have the appropriate leadership around you, it leads to you either making the wrong judgments or not being able to maybe be the greatest at what you do.
“But that is certainly not the situation there; he’s doing well. So it’s quite difficult because you want your parent to be your parent and have a wonderful relationship. But when commerce is involved, it becomes really tough.”
When asked about Jos’ comments on Horner, Hamilton responded, “I don’t know the circumstances. So I’m not sure what he’s building his foundations on.
“But, at the end of the day, he’s not on the team; he’s the father. So that’s just an opinion, but it’s certainly not helpful.
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