Max Verstappen won the Formula 1 sprint in Austria on Saturday. But his victory over the McLaren duo cannot disguise the dominant Red Bull topic of the last few days: the conflict between team boss Christian Horner and Max’s father Jos Verstappen, which escalated again after a ceasefire of several months, of all times, at the Bulls’ home race.
The reason for this actually seems trivial: Jos Verstappen was supposed to drive the RB8 from the 2012 Formula 1 season as part of the Legends Parade at the Red Bull Ring, an event as part of the Grand Prix for which the track operators are responsible. However, Christian Horner is said to have intervened and given the order not to film Jos’s run. He then lashed out at Horner in Dutch media and cancelled his participation in the demo drive.
Max Verstappen on Horner vs. Jos: I can understand his opinion
Max Verstappen commented on the dispute at the press conference after the Formula 1 sprint in Austria and was primarily concerned with mediation. “It’s obviously not nice. I don’t think for myself, for my father, for Christian or for the team. Of course you don’t want things like that to happen,” said the F1 world champion.
Verstappen stood behind his father, with whom he has a very close relationship: “I think my father has clearly explained the reasons and of course I can understand his opinion.” The demo drive was not important to Jos Verstappen, but the way things were handled within Red Bull upset him.
“He doesn’t care if he drives the car or not. But when he is asked to do so, only to find out that they don’t want him to drive the car […]then I can understand him,” said the five-time Spielberg winner, who emphasized the good relationship with the Bulls’ home track. Before the race, Verstappen demonstratively chatted with his father and Red Bull motorsport advisor Dr. Helmut Marko in the Red Bull pit. The Austrian has also positioned himself as an opponent of Horner in recent months, but has held back in the current conflict.
F1 World Champion Verstappen: Wants good relationship with all
“I want to have a good relationship with everyone. But of course this scenario could have been avoided,” Max concluded. He did not mention the name of his team boss Christian Horner. But given Jos’s statements, it does not require much room for interpretation to read between the lines who Verstappen blames for this renewed escalation.
The relationship between Horner and Jos Verstappen has long been considered difficult. In this Formula 1 season, the dispute between the two escalated at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. In light of Horner’s text message scandal from the winter months, Verstappen Senior accused Horner of risking the team being torn apart because of him and openly accused him of being the team boss.
Horner and Jos will probably have to get along for a while longer. Max Verstappen made it clear on Thursday before the Formula 1 GP in Austria that he would be racing for Red Bull in 2025. In March, however, he also stressed that he would be in the Formula 1 will only be available alongside his father and his personal management team.