By Frank Dalleres
Jos Verstappen, the father of world champion driver Max Verstappen, has denied being the source of leaks that have jeopardised Christian Horner’s position as Red Bull team principal.
Verstappen Sr has called for Horner to leave his role, despite team bosses last week saying that an internal probe had found the Englishman not guilty of alleged inappropriate behaviour.
A cache of leaked material, purporting to be messages between Horner and a female colleague, kept the spotlight on Horner over the weekend at the first race of the season, in Bahrain.
But the former F1 driver, whose son has won three consecutive drivers’ championships with Red Bull, dismissed suggestions that he was behind the leaks.
“That wouldn’t make sense,” said Jos Verstappen. “Why would I do that when Max is doing so well here?”
Nonetheless, Verstappen Sr piled more pressure on Horner to leave a role he has performed with huge success for 19 years, with Bahrain yet another Verstappen-led 1-2 for the team.
“There is tension here while he remains in position,” Jos Verstappen said. “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.”
Horner, who is believed to retain the support of Red Bull’s majority shareholder, Thai billionaire Chalerm Yoovidhya, insisted on Saturday that he was “absolutely” confident of continuing.
“There was a full, lengthy internal process that was completed by an independent KC and the grievance that was raised was dismissed. End of. Move on,” said Horner, who is married to Spice Girl Geri Halliwell.
It is less clear whether Horner has the backing at Red Bull’s HQ in Austria, namely from 49 per cent shareholder Mark Mateschitz and motorsport adviser Helmut Marko.
The controversy did not prevent Red Bull dominating the season opener, where Verstappen Jr won by 22 seconds from team-mate Sergio Perez.
Carlos Sainz was a close third, ahead of Ferrari colleague Charles Leclerc and a trio of Englishmen, George Russell, Lando Norris and Lewis Hamilton.
The new F1 season continues this week with back-to-back races in the Middle East. Practice begins in Saudi Arabia on Thursday, with the Grand Prix on Saturday.
