Jos Verstappen has expressed his support for a female Red Bull employee who found herself in the Christian Horner Red Bull controversy, marking his first public statement on the matter.
Formula 1 figurehead Horner, aged 50 and known for his marriage to former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, 51, faced allegations of ‘inappropriate behavior’ involving an unnamed woman last month. However, following an investigation, he was subsequently cleared of any wrongdoing.
The woman in question, a university graduate and colleague of the Red Bull team principal, was suspended earlier this week with full pay pending the investigation’s outcome.
While officials cited ‘dishonesty’ as the reason for her suspension, sources close to the situation have expressed surprise at her treatment, suggesting that she has been unfairly targeted while Horner retains his £8 million annual position.
Former Grand Prix star Verstappen senior, aged 52 and father to current world champion Max Verstappen, has now thrown his support behind the suspended employee.
He stated exclusively during his participation in the Hannut Rally in Belgium; “I sympathise with the woman, with all that she went through, but we will see what happens.”
The suspension of the woman came about following the leakage of purportedly embarrassing text messages exchanged between her and Horner.
In response to a query regarding whether it was appropriate to “draw a line” under the situation, as Horner suggested during his press conference in Saudi Arabia ahead of the upcoming race, Verstappen senior appeared unconvinced.
He stated: “I think it’s a bit too late for that now. If that’s what he wants, fine, but I don’t think it will be possible. I don’t want to talk too much more as it will create problems.
“But the most important thing for me is that Max is happy, that’s what counts for me, I just want him to be happy.”
Speculations have been circulating within the F1 circuit suggesting that it was Verstappen senior who disclosed the incriminating text messages exchanged between the woman and Horner last month.
Furthermore, there have been hints of a possible connection between him and the woman, although he has vehemently refuted any such allegations.
When pressed once more regarding the woman’s situation, Verstappen senior, who was behind the wheel of a Skoda during the rally, commented: “Red Bull seem to know what they are doing with her, we will see. But I think it is for her to come out and see what happens.
“I’m not fully up to speed with what is happening with her. He continued: “But all these things that are going on are having an influence on Max. He was third in the first practice, and all we hear about is Horner and what happened with his situation.
“In the press conference, Horner gave the other day it was all about him and his problems when we should be talking about Max, the car, his performance, and the race. I’ve already said I think it is causing problems if he stays.”
Verstappen snr further stated: “I think it’s too late for Christian to say ‘leave me alone’ but he has the support of the Thai owner so I think he will stay for the rest of the season.
“I said it would be bad if he stayed, it really isn’t good for the team, this whole situation.”
Following the race in Bahrain last weekend, Verstappen senior and Horner were captured engaged in a lively discussion inside a trailer home.
However, Verstappen senior dismissed any insinuations of a disagreement, stating: “That was earlier, on Friday, before the race. He was saying to me ‘Do you trust me? I will do everything for your son’ and we were talking with our hands, we didn’t have a fight.
“But on Friday we did have an argument in the office, and I walked out but, in the trailer, he came up to me and said ‘Congratulations, good race’.”
Verstappen senior enjoyed a career in Formula 1 spanning from 1994 to 2003, during which he secured two podium finishes before transitioning to rally driving.
He stated: “There are less problems in rallying than in Formula 1, there are not so many controversies, it’s more enjoyable.”
Verstappen senior appeared cheerful as he posed for photographs and graciously signed autographs for the crowd at the Hannut Rally, where he arrived in a VW Golf. Meanwhile, his team of three mechanics diligently tended to his car while he relaxed in a nearby team trailer home.
Backed by sponsorship from Red Bull and a private jet company, Verstappen Senior seemed to operate on a different level compared to other competing teams in terms of equipment and support.
Scheduled to participate in rallies this weekend and the next in Belgium, he will then fly out to Melbourne for the Australian Grand Prix on March 24, where he will be accompanied by his son Max on a private jet for the journey.
Controversy erupted at Red Bull last month when details of the woman’s allegations surfaced, prompting the Austrian-based team to launch an inquiry led by an independent third party.
Although Team Principal Horner was ultimately cleared, the scandal regained momentum 24 hours later when the incriminating texts were leaked via an anonymous email to F1 correspondents.
Amidst the turmoil, Geri – formerly known as Ginger Spice – was reported to have been visibly distressed when the scandal unfolded. However, she stood by her husband, showing solidarity by holding hands with him at the Bahrain Grand Prix last week.
Last week, Verstappen senior notably omitted Horner from the guest list for his 52nd birthday celebration, held at a lavish Dubai hotel. Present at the event were Max, as well as senior figures from Red Bull, including racing director Helmut Marko.
Reports suggest that Verstappen senior has been friends with the woman involved in the controversy for several years. They were purportedly photographed together on a yacht in Abu Dhabi in November 2021 following Red Bull’s victory there.
During his pre-race press conference, Max came to his father’s defense against Horner, asserting, “He’s not a liar,” thereby escalating the tension between the two men even further.
Max stated: “I think from how I know him of course, from when I was already in go-karting, he’s always very outspoken. He’s not a liar, that’s for sure. My dad and I are very close. We call every day.”
