Jos Verstappen, the father of Red Bull Racing’s Max Verstappen, has openly criticized Christian Horner for assuming the role of a “victim” when he believes Horner is “the one creating the issues.”
He expresses concern that Red Bull Racing could face internal discord as long as Horner holds the team principal position.
Despite Max Verstappen kicking off his championship defence with a commanding win at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday night, it has been a challenging week for the team beyond the racetrack.
A day after Horner was exonerated by Red Bull GmbH, the parent company, following an investigation into alleged misconduct, he found himself at the centre of controversy again on Thursday evening due to an email that allegedly contained evidence from the probe being leaked widely.
Horner, who has maintained his innocence against the accusations, has attempted to maintain a composed demeanour throughout the ordeal. He conveyed to the press, including PlanetF1.com, his discomfort with the negative attention, stating that he “cannot comment on speculative reports.”
However, this stance has not quelled the flow of reports suggesting unrest within the Red Bull team.
Jos Verstappen has now acknowledged these internal tensions. Speaking to Daily Mail, the former F1 driver remarked: “There is tension here while he remains in position, the team is in danger of being torn apart.
“It can’t go on the way it is. It will explode. He is playing the victim, when he is the one causing the problems.”
He, however, denied suggestions he was behind a campaign to unseat Horner.
“That wouldn’t make sense. Why would I do that when Max is doing so well here?” he said.
“So absolutely, from the performance side of things, you can’t even question that. So that’s what I’m also dealing with.
“I speak to Christian a lot. And also, of course, throughout the weekend here, he’s fully committed to the team.
“He’s also here for the performance, of course. Probably a little bit distracted.
“But like I said before, we just focus on the performance side of things. And that’s how we all work together.”
Max Verstappen, however, has openly supported Horner, describing him as an exceptional team leader.
He stated: “Listen, when I look at how Christian operates within the team, he has been an incredible team boss.
“So absolutely, from the performance side of things, you can’t even question that. So that’s what I’m also dealing with.
“I speak to Christian a lot. And also, of course, throughout the weekend here, he’s fully committed to the team.
“He’s also here for the performance, of course. Probably a little bit distracted. But like I said before, we just focus on the performance side of things. And that’s how we all work together.”
