A new scandal shook Red Bull in the run-up to the Austrian Grand Prix and involves Jos Verstappenfather of the champion driver of the Formula 1and Christian Hornerthe head of the team that leads the world constructors’ championship.
It all started when the former Dutch driver and father Max Verstappen He criticised the director of the Austrian team for not having been included among the former runners who will participate in the Legends Parade Red Bull Ring. “I have heard from various quarters that Christian Horner has done everything possible to not let me drive. Then I think: ‘tell it to my face’. This doesn’t have to be like this for me, I find it very disappointing,” he declared. Jos Verstappenas published by the newspaper From Telegraph.
Speaking to Form 1added that Horner had also prevented any kind of footage from being taken during his appearance on the circuit: “There would be some filming, even with a drone. But he didn’t want me to be filmed. How can he be so childish? I’m completely fed up with him.. It looks like a kindergarten. I could have driven, but I pulled out. It seems so childish of Horner to me. It says something about him, I think.”
Last March, Verstappen father had warned about the risks that, according to him, Red Bull ran with Horner at the helm, in the midst of an investigation into alleged improper behavior by the team director against an employee, from which he was exonerated. Since then, Jos had kept a low profile, focusing on his rally competitions.
During the press conference after free practice in Austria, Horner was asked about the issue and denied any involvement in the situation. “The parade of legends is something organized by the circuit. There was no veto on my part or anything like that.”, stated the director of Red Bull. And he added, to add fuel to the fire: “I don’t think it’s really useful to continue talking about Jos. The important one here is Max. He is our driver, he is the one we have a contract with. and he is the one with whom we are focused on trying to win this Grand Prix.”
“My interest is in the performance of the team. We have a wonderful team, we have great drivers. And then in Max, we have the best driver in the world. And he came to our team as a young man. And he has grown and grown in stature. He has grown as a driver and as a human being. And I think the way he carries himself, the way he works with the team is exceptional. And that is my key interest,” Horner continued in statements to Motor Sport.
Finally, Horner launched other darts against Jos Verstappen and confirmed that his relationship with his son is very good: “You can’t control everything in life. I can’t control the relationships with the parents of the drivers, but my focus is on the performance of our drivers and the performance of our team. And that’s where it will remain.”
