There is still no calm at Red Bull. Now the father of world champion Max Verstappen has spoken out again about team boss Christian Horner – and chooses clear words.
Max Verstappen’s father Jos has once again fueled the already escalated dispute in the Red Bull Formula 1 team. Regarding a conclusion called for by team boss Christian Horner after his affair involving allegations of inappropriate behavior by an employee, Jos Verstappen told the British “Daily Mail” (Saturday): “I think it’s a bit too late for that now. If that’s it, Whatever he wants, fine. But I don’t think that’s possible.” Jos Verstappen emphasized that he didn’t want to say much more, it would only cause problems.
But the problems have long been there. The power struggle between the 50-year-old Horner and the 80-year-old motorsport consultant Helmut Marko, on whose side before the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in Jeddah this Saturday, world champion Max Verstappen clearly took his side and his whereabouts depended on Markos had made, has become a public mudslinging. It seems difficult to find a way out of the deadlocked situation without causing even greater damage.
“There will be problems if he stays”
“I have already said that there will be problems if he stays,” said Jos Verstappen, referring to Horner. “I think it’s too late for Christian to say, ‘Leave me alone.’ But Horner has the support of the Thai majority owners of the parent company Red Bull. “So I think he will stay until the end of the season.” In the same British newspaper a week ago, Jos Verstappen warned that the team could explode if Horner stayed. All the things that would happen would also have an influence on his son, said Jos Verstappen.
An employee had accused the currently longest-serving team boss of inappropriate behavior. After an independent investigation, Red Bull’s complaint was dismissed before emails reached selected recipients in the paddock a day later with a link to files relating to the juicy matter. It is still unclear who sent these emails and passed on the information.
On Friday, Marko hinted at his possible suspension in interviews. Like Horner, he has been there since Red Bull entered Formula 1 and was a very close confidante of Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz, who died in October 2022. According to Marko’s statements, Max Verstappen emphasized: He said every year that “everyone at Red Bull knows that for me, Helmut always has to be there.” And if not: “Then maybe we have a big problem in the team.”