Max Verstappen has defended his father Jos after he launched an acrimonious attack on the world champion’s Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner. Verstappen insisted his father was not a liar, apparently agreeing with him after he had claimed that Horner’s position with the team was now untenable.
In Bahrain last week at the Formula One season‑opening grand prix, Verstappen’s father stated Horner’s continued presence in the team could lead it to “explode”.
Verstappen, speaking in the lead‑up the Saudi Arabian GP this weekend, was asked if his father regretted the comments which appear to have exposed a schism at the heart of the team. In reply the 26-year-old driver chose to support his father.
I have not asked him that but my dad, from how I know him in go‑karting, is very outspoken and he is not a liar, that is for sure,” Verstappen said. “My dad and I are very close. We call every day.”
The controversy surrounding Horner and Red Bull – after the team principal was exonerated by an independent investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour made by a female employee but involved in a leaked email exchange containing messages said to be between him and the complainant – dominated the season’s opening week and shows no sign of abating for the second round.
Horner has always emphatically denied any wrongdoing but has persistently refused to make any comment on the leaked email.
Verstappen Sr is believed in some quarters to be playing a role in a deliberate attempt to remove Horner, which he has denied. The team have since claimed that there is no antagonism between the two camps, however since the weekend speculation has been rife that the divide may play a part in Verstappen leaving, potentially to join Mercedes next year, after Lewis Hamilton made the shock announcement in February that he is to join Ferrari at the end of the season.
Horner has said he is “absolutely confident” he will remain in charge at Red Bull and this week met Verstappen Jr’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, in an apparent attempt to clear the air with them through their representative.
Horner is understood to still have the backing of the Thai majority shareholder of Red Bull racing’s parent company, Red Bull GmbH, but his future nonetheless still hangs in the balance.
Verstappen Jr, who last week was reluctant to express his full confidence in Horner over the race weekend and when pushed only confirmed he was fully behind Horner in his role for the team in a “performance” perspective, was once more equivocal when asked whether he now felt he could stay if Horner remained as team principal.