Max Verstappen has avoided taking sides in the split which has emerged between his father and Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.
Jos Verstappen claimed last week Horner should not remain in charge of the team despite an internal investigation clearing him of inappropriate behaviour. After Red Bull announced it had ‘dismissed the grievance’ made by a female staff member, a series of messages allegedly involving Horner were widely leaked.While Horner remains in charge and has insisted the team remain united, his star driver’s father told newspapers last week the team would “explode” if he stays.
Asked about his father’s comments, Verstappen said: “From my side, I’m just focusing on the driving bit. And I think that is also the most important for the team right now.”
“That’s also why we came here and that’s our main target and also what we want to focus on, to not have this stuff going on race after race, because that is not good for the team,” he told Sky.
The rift has prompted speculation Verstappen could cut short his deal to drive for Red Bull and move to another team. He said the possibility of him driving for a team other than Red Bull next year is slim.
“Things must go really crazy, I guess, but that’s not the target for everyone.”
Should Verstappen choose to look elsewhere for next year, Mercedes would be a likely target, as the team needs a replacement for Lewis Hamilton. His current team mate George Russell said today he would be happy to share the team with Verstappen.
“Whoever were to line up alongside me next year or the years to come I welcome anybody, welcome a challenge,” he said. “You would want to go against the best.”
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Zann (@zann)
6th March 2024, 18:26
Max is strong in the head. He has focus, and it’s winning races, so he’s staying at Red Bull and driving his car, end of. He doesn’t seem to have his father’s criminal tendencies, so he’s just staying at Red Bull, not saying anything stupid, and driving Adrian’s car. Too simple, I know
Ben
6th March 2024, 19:39
I disagree. He kicks off the second anything isn’t perfect and still acts immature at times often even after he’s won.
Don’t forget there’s more to this than Max. Newey is a potential huge moving force and so too is Ford. If either leave would Max still fancy RedBull for 2026.
His Dad is still a huge sway in his life. It doesn’t take much to see how he idolises him in interviews and that’s with a very questionable/criminal past. Max has come out and publicly backed Jos much more firmly than I’d expected.
Small picture is staying at RedBull and winning 2024,2025 with a potentially big risk over 2026 onwards.
Big picture is moving team and potentially getting it right for 2026. Let’s not forget it’d be a chance for Max to back his legacy and prove himself in another team. He was full of praise for Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, does he have the guts to do the same?
Zann (@zann)
6th March 2024, 20:42
well yes alright we don’t really know do we, but Jos is banned now (multiple rallies, one he wasn’t entered for on 26th Feb for example) so Max is on his ownsome anyway. He’s choosing between Daddy and winning, with Adrian. He’s seen what happens when drivers leave Adrian’s cars – Seb, Danny, Kimi – and Lewis when James Allison left, and I’m betting he’ll pick winning races. Jos brought him up only being loved when he wins didn’t he, so it’s an emotional need for him
RR
6th March 2024, 22:12
Max could have said nothing on the Horner business, instead he sided with dad. That is not too wise, and ominous for the team at this stage. It is really not on for a driver to show contempt for his team principal. They are ganging up to make Horner’s position untenable and force him to leave.
One of the dailies is reporting that Jos was having relations with the woman in question, apparently at the same time as Horner, or something along these lines. Anyway Max could and should have stayed shtum and kept his nose out of it, but he chose to voice support for Jos.
Zann (@zann)
7th March 2024, 7:27
I don’t know that Max could have said nothing really, he was being grilled about it. He can say things in private to Christian, and he didn’t back what Jos said did he.
And now he’s in the garage and Dad isn’t. So feet wise, he’s voted with Christian, while saying he loves his dad. I thought it was pretty clever.
Someone who had access to her phone, makes sense. Someone fairly awful who’d snoop through it
ludewig
6th March 2024, 21:52
Red Bull built a winning car without Ford, so I don’t see what impact Ford could have on Max’ decision.
Sham (@sham)
7th March 2024, 8:14
You mean apart from the investment in the new engines in 2026, that Honda won’t be making and Red Bull can’t do alone?
Apart from that reason?
ludewig
7th March 2024, 10:40
@sham
Red Bull was building up engine building facilities and expertise for 2026 long before Ford came in, so they were already gearing up to go at it alone. Ford is just saving them money, but if Ford pulls out, we should just see Red Bull making up the difference.
An Sionnach
6th March 2024, 23:41
You’re right. Max is impressive. Driving at a level that would be laughed at if it was fiction and having the good sense to refuse to be drawn into squabbles.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
6th March 2024, 19:17
I don’t believe Max for a second that he would be willing to go against the best with the same rules. Not for one second.
He’d have a meltdown if they were ahead for a single turn the whole season…
NoelyNoel (@noelynoel)
6th March 2024, 19:25
Five years ago, maybe. Max is a different person, a different driver, now. He’s got his head in the right place and would be an asset at any team, Red Bull or otherwise. Personally, I think he’d be mad not to bank on Red Bull’s continued dominance now and in 2025, but 2026 and thereafter is something of a free-for-all, or at least a free-for-five-teams.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
6th March 2024, 20:18
His head is in the right place but that can change in one corner – it’s only in the right place cause there’s only 1 car on track as far as he’s concerned and he’s leading by 300 points and guaranteed to win while lifting off the gas.
Whose head wouldn’t be in the right place in those circumstances? Wait, I’m going to score double the points over the 2nd driver in the championship? Let me see if I’m ok with that… Yep, it seems I’m ok with it.
Also the chatter does seem to suggest that he’s afraid that the Horner investigation may rock the boat and that this situation could change which shows insecurity that’s not in line with the 300 point lead while sandbagging.
I agree – there’s no way he’s leaving Red Bull.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
6th March 2024, 19:25
I think not only verstappen isn’t afraid to go up against anyone, as things are I think he would beat everyone too in the same car, most drivers aren’t as consistent as him and those who are don’t have the sheer speed only him and a few more have.
David BR (@david-br)
6th March 2024, 19:33
@esploratore1 He was flawed under pressure in 2021. I mean spectacularly (badly) so, especially towards the end of the season. Do you think that’s changed? More to the point, how many years more of one-driver dominance until we find out?
GC40R
6th March 2024, 19:56
Think 2021 pressure was because of not winning a F1 championship, the first is always the hardest (even with assistance).
Now he has the money & the winning car, like most of the multiple F1 Champs had I think the pressure diminishes.
Not many Champions had the slower car or there were more than one team capable of winning that year. Although there are a few I can think of in the very distant past.
Verstappen is without doubt an extremely good F1 driver, just like Hamilton or Alonso but should Hamilton have 7 championships & Alonso only 2? Personally I think not, but then Verstappen shouldn’t currently have 3 either.
BamBoomBots
6th March 2024, 22:45
Flawed? One must surely see that as far as Verstappen was concerned, a double DNF for both him and Hamilton would result in the WDC going to him. They both were well aware of this, and Verstappen had the slower car in those latter races.
All his actions were, while unsportsmanlike, understandable from his perspective. Especially since the behaviour from Hamilton and Wolff during the season wasn’t sportsmanlike either.
I am quite certain not a single driver on the current grid would be able to beat him in equal machinery. Some might get close to equalling, but the mutual end result will most likely come down to a bit of luck when his up against the very best.
The other hypothesis would be that he’s actually 2-3 tenths ahead of the next best on the grid and it would in fact still be one-sided. I would consider that more likely than there actually being a faster and more consistent driver on the grid at the moment.
David BR (@david-br)
6th March 2024, 23:15
Flawed defensive driving, undoubtedly, that should have seen him penalized, even blackflagged, in Jeddah.
Personally I think Hamilton beat him in more or less equal machinery over 2021 – barring Masi’s intervention, it would have been official. A repeat situation of 2021 – racing to the maximum to beat one or more rivals every single race – would be a real test of where he’s at now.
The speed argument is always extremely relative, car dependent and against one other competitor in the same machinery. There’s no doubt he drives better (faster) now, in the Red Bull, in the kind of jeopardy-free races he has to face.
ludewig
7th March 2024, 10:47
@david-br
Both drivers engaged in bad driving, including Hamilton in Jeddah who insisted on sitting on Max’s gear box even though it was beyond obvious that Max was trying to force an overtake.
And Lewis also had a very bad defense in Abu Dhabi that the Lewis fans like you constantly ignore, but that should rightly have been penalized.
Much of the bad driving was IMO greatly influenced by the horrible, inconsistent and unclear stewarding, which encouraged both drivers to behave poorly, since they might get away with it. I think that it is rather silly to then argue that both drivers are incapable of doing better, when the incentives were to act that way, so they had no reason to do better.
BamBoomBots
7th March 2024, 6:33
How one thinks that Hamilton beat him in 2021 is beyond me. He was the one who punted Verstappen off and celebrated like he just overcame all adversity thrown to him, after getting to fix his normally race ending damage under the subsequent red flag, and that was not the only occasion he got very lucky. In can also imagine the extravagant celebrations afterwards while Verstappen was not even cleared from the hospital yet came accross as an insult for the other side.
If Verstappen would not have had 3 DNF’s, which were on Pirelli and Mercedes, the championship would have been pretty much over before the summer break. But then Mercedes decided to run more engines so they could avoid the spirit of the rules. That and Verstappens bad luck was the only reason Hamilton was in contention near the end of the season. Which was fine, but it would be wrong to singularly attribute this fact to Hamiltons driving during that season so far.
And yes, Abu Dhabi was farcical and the result should have been nullified, completely agree. Which would have handed the championship to Verstappen.
Mayrton
7th March 2024, 11:06
+1. That is exactly how the season went. Should have been wrapped up around the summer break indeed.
David BR (@david-br)
7th March 2024, 12:36
There’s no comparison. The stewards judged Hamilton mostly to blame for the Copse collision (not entirely) and plenty of F1 former drivers and media pundits thought it was a racing incident. Verstappen took a big shunt. But that’s motor racing. And he tried the same pass inside Copse in the past.
The end of season standard of defensive driving was abysmal with the Brazilian swipe off the track farcical and Jeddah dangerous (he brake tested Hamilton). Peter Windsor, a total Verstappen fan, concluded that Hamilton had been the better and faster race over the season. I tend to agree. Sure ‘wiping Abu Dhabi’ from the records seems like an argument to you as it would give MV the championship anyway. But it’s fundamentally dishonest. Hamilton should have won the race and the championship, that’s all I’m saying. He didn’t. Verstappen was declared champion.
David BR (@david-br)
6th March 2024, 19:29
@freelittlebirds Just to clarify, that quote is from Russell not Verstappen. There’s a big difference between someone going to drive alongside Max at Red Bull (imagine anyone trying to compete on an equal level with the amount of pressure being exerted by Verstappen Sr!) and him going to another team. MV versus Russell at Mercedes would be really interesting.
But like you said, he seems competition avoidant. Verstappen could well win every single race this season: if Red Bull show the same advantage and reliability, it’s a realistic chance. It’s embarrassingly bad that the second driver offers so little by way of challenge. PlanetF1, not normally my favourite port of call,, had a good article asking why FIA/Liberty haven’t acted yet to clip Red Bull’s wings as they did (tried) with Mercedes on various occasions. I mean nothing, zilch. We’re supposed to sit and watch the Verstappen show for an entire year and be ‘entertained.’
The Dolphins
6th March 2024, 19:40
Absolutely not; as a matter of fact by doing so you’re casting a vote in favour of the Verstappen show.
David BR (@david-br)
6th March 2024, 21:25
Well, that’s true, I’m giving my F1TV subscription a month to prove its worth with some competition up front.
BMW P85 V10
6th March 2024, 19:55
They already tried to clip RBR performance by putting up the floor after the show Mercedes pulled. ANd it backfired well enough to give RBR an even bigger advantage.
As long as other teams don’t understand the current cars they can’t predict the outcome of a rule change.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
6th March 2024, 20:12
Thanks, I totally misread that and rescind my statement regarding Max. However, I still believe he doesn’t like competition. It’s just his nature and I do wonder if that’s because of what happened to Jos at Benetton.
That would be a fantastic test because it would be more impartial as opposed to completely focused on Verstappen.
ludewig
7th March 2024, 10:51
Can you explain why you believe this? His team mates either run away from him or get demoted for underperforming, but I’ve not seen him run away from competition ever.
Iosif (@afonic)
7th March 2024, 15:50
George is a fine driver but he is no Verstappen. I feel this much is clear by now.
RH
7th March 2024, 0:33
I hope you realize that everyday you’re going through hell seeing the “hype” so easily win. Touch some grass or something. Will help with mental health and also delusions.
Oople
6th March 2024, 20:15
I’m not a “fan of Max” in the sense that I don’t actively cheer for him during races (not that he needs any extra encouragement).
However, he has my respect, and has done for a while.
I have no doubt he will choose the correct side and course of action if/when concrete evidence for whatever is shown.
Until then, picking a side based on just media speculation and unverified evidence will just add fuel to the distraction fire (a la his father).
Mr B
6th March 2024, 20:41
This whole situation seems ridiculous, winning in Formula One is insanely difficult, just ask Lando Norris. Why would anyone in the Verstappen family do anything to risk losing the winning situation they find themselves in? Lewis Hamilton, a 7 time world champion driving for one of the biggest teams in F1 hasn’t won in the last two years. Verstappen would be mad to do anything to destabilise what he has at Red Bull right now.
Esploratore (@esploratore1)
6th March 2024, 20:50
Indeed, it’s why I don’t understand jos verstappen’s anti-horner campaign, but then again I’ve never been a fan of him, with the same benetton as schumacher he barely did anything.
tielemst
6th March 2024, 21:02
That car was designed for Michael :-)
MichaelN
6th March 2024, 21:32
He’s just scared that Horner’s shenanigans rip apart the team his son is doing well in.
So if tension and uncertaintiy pose a risk, and Horner is the cause of those, then if Horner goes, the situation should be fine.
There’s unlikely to be more to it. This is still Jos Verstappen, not a smart guy like Ross Brawn.
An Sionnach
6th March 2024, 23:51
Perhaps like Stephen Hendry, who made it his goal to beat Steve Davis after an early career humiliation, Jos has gone to extreme lengths to make sure that Max is Michael Schumacher 2.0 after he was trounced. Like Michael, Max impressed early on, but blew everyone away when he got a half-decent car. It’s not possible for the current grid to go back to when they were learning to walk and re-live their lives with the level of dedication to racing that Max has had. Perhaps the next Max isn’t able to walk or talk yet.
Tifoso1989 (@tifoso1989)
7th March 2024, 9:49
Stephen, like Ronnie, was a sensation right from the start. His early losses against Steve in his career were somewhat anticipated and not humiliating. As a rookie facing the best player of the decade in an individual sport, it’s akin to the early seasons of Novak, Rafa, or Federer, where they often lost to more experienced but less talented players. Stephen quickly ended Steve’s reign with his victory in the 1989 UK Championship final.
HAL
6th March 2024, 21:23
Maybe Jos is just looking at a way to renegotiate a contract…. Max is on a long term contract with a hefty salary. But F1 is doing great for the moment and 2 much bigger contracts have just been signed. If all it takes to Mr I-like-to-punch-women to reset the contract is to throw Horner under the bus…. I mean, he did much worse, no doubt.
Mercedes is probably just the leverage for RB to agree re-negotiation the contract. But yeah, he needs something to invalidate the current one.
David BR (@david-br)
6th March 2024, 21:29
If any of these rumours are true, that’s my view. I mean, if Verstappen has this escape clause, could he activate it any time (season)? Say Horner leaves this year and MV wants to move in 2025 or 2026? He could easily lever a better contract with that threat. Unless Red Bull say fine, we’ll sign someone like Norris or Piastri then – I mean they’d win just as easily as Max in the current Red Bull car. Two Pérez’s would finish the WDC in 1 and 2 in fact…
Mr B
7th March 2024, 8:45
Max is only 26, he’s earning a fortune from the team and another fortune from his brand products off the circuit. Even when he retires he will continue to be a big earner, it would be mad if all of this was a negotiating ploy. What people are forgetting in all of this is that Horner, whether you like him or not, is an integral part of the success of this team. If you lose or remove him you remove a part of what makes the team successful and any knock on effect that may have. Horner grew this team from nothing to the dominating world champions they are today.
Bonbonjai
7th March 2024, 11:56
There in lies the fundamental problem with the way red bull has go to be what they are today. Simply put, remove Horner, and an essential element of this teams function is removed, and with the laws of unintended consequences, who knows what could result. Will max leave, I don’t think so,unless Adrian leaves as well. He likes to win, and Adrian design winning cars. Knowing all that if he (horner) steps out of line would this team show him the door if his behevior could be massaged as been between consenting adults? I think so.
KentHarwood
6th March 2024, 23:02
So, Max thinks it’s important to focus on the racing, instead of the political, gossipy nonsense. Huh. Seems like the vast majority of fans and media could take a page from that book…..
David BR (@david-br)
6th March 2024, 23:18
Or he thinks (or has been told) keeping his head down and driving while Jos Verstappen does the political, gossipy stuff is obviously the best option.
Tristan
6th March 2024, 23:12
yes yes, very well…
Meanwhile, how does that zip function on that polo? Very confused
ryanoceros (@ryanoceros)
7th March 2024, 1:36
It looks like the shirt has a sort of hidden button placket and that zipper is for a pocket.
some racing fan
7th March 2024, 3:05
Basically, he doesn’t to get involved. Smart (seriously).
Mayrton
7th March 2024, 11:09
Yes, there isn’t much to get involved with in the first place. These topics only live rent free in journalists heads. When prompted he will need to response, but I am sure other than in that moment the team and himself are absolutely focused on something else.
Edvaldo
7th March 2024, 11:27
Horner will be ousted. His situation on this team is only getting worse. Jos is against him and Max is not going against his father.
He did a good job, but truth be told, the team has been established long ago, he’s replaceable now and they’re likely to suceed just the same.
If they want a better work environment, that”s the thing to do.
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
7th March 2024, 11:54
the driver is replaceable. and he will be. Red Bull have the best Power unit bar none, until 2026. The rest is politics, probably Ford vs Porsche, and someone’s dad having an inappropriate relationship with one of the staffers at RBR.
Edvaldo
7th March 2024, 12:05
and who do you think Red Bull would have a harder time parting ways with at the moment, Max or Horner?
pcxmac (@pcxmac)
7th March 2024, 12:30
RBR could win the championship with Perez if they wanted to. Hes got no leverage. Its really more a matter of branding and face saving at this point.
Edvaldo
7th March 2024, 12:51
that’s why i said “at the moment”.
Davethechicken
7th March 2024, 12:33
Horner obviously is more valuable. Who could replace him?
Half the grid would win in the current red bull car. I mean look at perez, he has never been considered a top driver, fired by two teams, on his way out of f1 when given the red bull drive. So bad at qualifying he can barely get into Q3 but still comes second in wdc.
Edvaldo
7th March 2024, 12:48
You’re wrong from the moment you think they’ll have an all conquering car every season that even Perez can win a championship with.
David BR (@david-br)
7th March 2024, 12:28
Q: Does your father regret what he said (about Horner having to go)?
Max: I haven’t asked him (though I speak to him everyday): he’s not a liar.
Whatever Jos Verstappen is up to clearly has Max’s approval and backing. Not sure I’d call that a ‘neutral’ position and I doubt Horner believes or feels it so either.
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
7th March 2024, 13:33
Apparently, the complainant has now been dubbed the accuser and suspended by Red Bull if the rumour mill is true.
This is extremely strange because like I said coming out with false information would have been the end of the person’s career and she’s obviously not just an intern to have access to Horner.
This needs to be prioritized by the FIA and F1 at all costs and the employee needs to be treated with the respect they deserve assuming the accusations are not fabricated.
Now if her information is not false, I think the very least that should happen here is for Red Bull to be suspended pending an investigation. If Red Bull are in the wrong, I would be ok with them being asked to seek a court ruling in the US (4-5 years with an appeal) before they can race again.
I’m not going to tolerate Red Bull bullying a female employee for a second.
Moi
7th March 2024, 13:51
First, I don’t think anyone is interested in what you ‘tolerate’ or not. You are not an actor in this piece, just a keyboard jockey.
Second, taking someone off active duty (with full pay, which I notice you carefully omitted) is normal in this case; it’s not as if she could carry on as before given all that has happened is it?
Michael (@freelittlebirds)
7th March 2024, 14:28
That’s fine you’re entitled to your opinion but I believe I’m also entitled to mine and you seem to be attacking me by calling a keyboard jockey. I could have said the same of you.
I think the entire sport is entitled to know what happened and if we individually can condone it as appropriate behavior. If not, maybe they can leave the sport and maintain their privacy.
So it is official that she’s been taken off active duty. Where did you find that out?
If everything is fine then why can she not carry on as before? If anything, that actually lends credence to her case and this would be viewed as retaliation by Red Bull. Being suspended is a clear indication that she is being punished for making the complaint as she would not have been suspended otherwise.
ferrox glideh (@ferrox-glideh)
7th March 2024, 19:15
@freelittlebirds I, for one, am interested in your tolerance levels on this issue. I abhor a bully.
(Also, “Moi” comes across like a bully.)
DaveW (@dmw)
7th March 2024, 15:17
Per reports she is suspended with full pay. Which only makes sense because she would not have been turning up for work in the present circumstances. And it resolves the administrative circumstances for the near term.
In fact one would expect that if she lacked any further leverage or avenues of remedy she would have just quit before being fired.
Essentially they are paying her a settlement without agreement and one which doesn’t bind her against further action. She can put her feet up and collect her check while working on her next move. This result in no way confirms RBR now have the upper hand in future proceedings. If she were my client this would be a welcome development.
Paul2013
7th March 2024, 14:12
Is it a Joke?
Max and his father had the same goal, to fire Horner.
They were just playing good cop / bad cop.
Now that redbull told them “look there is the door you can leave whenever you want, both of you” Max is trying to keep his seat.
amped
7th March 2024, 14:52
At this point, as has been the case for a while now, it is only the media keeping the matter alive.
It was over the second the independent barrister found no evidence supporting the grievance and it was dismissed. It was definitely over when the “evidence” was illegally leaked to media, rival team, F1 & FIA personnel.
If there was a case for civil legal proceedings then the “evidence” would not have been leaked as this compromises chances of success. It is pretty clear there is no case, as this was an attempt to brand Horner guilty in the court of public opinion.
DaveW (@dmw)
7th March 2024, 15:07
No one knows what the “independent barrister” found. We know what management did. We don’t even know the scope of the engagement. Nor do we know who leaked it or what bearing that would have on a civil (US parlance) proceeding.
ferrox glideh (@ferrox-glideh)
7th March 2024, 19:16
Well, Jos does know a thing or two about inappropriate behavior.