After Max Verstappen’s father Jos revealed the extreme strain within the Formula 1 team, the Christian Horner scandal has spiraled out of control for Red Bull.
The controversy engulfing Christian Horner has descended into crisis for Red Bull after the extraordinary tension within the Formula 1 team was made public by Max Verstappen’s father Jos.
F1’s 2024 season opener was dominated by Red Bull with a 1-2 for world champion Max Verstappen and team-mate Sergio Perez, but a remarkable week in Bahrain overshadowed the on-track action and has created an incredible contrast between the dream start for F1’s top team on-track and the nightmare it faces off it.
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Red Bull Racing will “explode” under Horner’s leadership, according to Jos Verstappen’s warning. This has put additional pressure on the team principal, shown that Red Bull and its team are in an untenable situation, and guaranteed that the narrative will dominate the lead-up to the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, which takes place immediately after next Saturday.
After his son Max cantered to victory in the opening race of what appears to be another title-winning season, Jos Verstappen warned that Red Bull Racing will suffer if Horner stays as team principal in interviews with the UK newspaper The Daily Mail and the Dutch weekly De Telegraaf. He claims in The Telegraaf that the squad is suffering and that tension is in the air, causing members to drift away. He is quoted in the MailOnline story as stating: “The team is in danger of being torn apart.” Things cannot continue as they are. It is going to blow up.
Red Bull’s parent business dismissed Horner’s “grievance” against him on Wednesday of this week, ending an investigation into his alleged behavior against a female employee. Horner was retained as Red Bull Racing’s CEO and team principal.
Red Bull was forced to rely on the assumption that the process was genuinely fair and comprehensive, and that its decision was taken for the correct reasons, as it would not provide additional information. However, the circumstances quickly moved well beyond calls for more transparency.Read More…