Christian Horner managed to keep the favor of the Thai owners of Red Bull, despite the scandals surrounding his inappropriate conduct. The recent attention regarding Horner’s behavior caused a stir in the motorsport community. Allegations of misconduct by a Red Bull employee were investigated and ultimately cleared, but this caused tension within the Milton Keynes team.
Horner’s relationship with Max Verstappen’s father, Jos Verstappen, also suffered as a result of the investigation. There were even rumors that the late Dietrich Mateschitz’s son wanted to remove Horner from his position with the help of external forces. However, as tensions have eased in recent days, Red Bull GmbH organized a high-level meeting in Dubai.
According to Auto Motor und Sport (AMuS), this meeting only solidified Horner’s position within the company. Majority Thai shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya is said to fully support Horner’s plans to take full control of Red Bull, including its motorsport division. However, this support may be withdrawn if Horner is found guilty in a civil court. Previously, there were concerns that Yoovidhya was unhappy with the American activists’ reaction to the Horner scandal.
There were also rumors that Verstappen would leave Red Bull if Horner remained in power. However, the three-time world champion put an end to these speculations by affirming his commitment to the team. However, the outcome of the meeting in Dubai could potentially change Verstappen’s decision.
The Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, allegedly attended the meeting in Dubai and had discussions with Yoovidhya. The exact nature of these discussions is unknown, but according to AMuS, it is clear that Verstappen will leave Red Bull if Horner continues to hold his position as Team Principal.
In addition, the Executive Director and CEO of Red Bull are concerned about their own positions within the company. There are rumors that Red Bull Holdings could potentially be transferred to Dubai.
Red Bull finds itself in another turbulent situation. Despite the recent controversies, Horner’s strong support from the Thai side has given him more influence. However, no official statement has been made to the public and it remains to be seen how the situation will unfold for the Milton Keynes team in the coming weeks.
