Jos Verstappen, who was seen talking to Toto Wolff from Ferrari, openly condemned Horner’s leadership and predicted chaos within Red Bull Racing if Horner remains in his position.
During the Bahrain Grand Prix, there was a tense exchange between Christian Horner, head of Red Bull Racing, and Jos Verstappen, father of three-time world champion Max Verstappen, which was captured on TV.
This incident occurred amidst a series of online speculations about the nature of their disagreement, especially after a report from Mail Sport highlighted a significant discussion between them after Friday’s qualifying round.
Jos Verstappen, who was observed talking to Toto Wolff from Ferrari, openly criticized Horner’s leadership and predicted turbulence within Red Bull Racing if Horner continues in his position.
This criticism follows the release of controversial messages and images sent by Horner to a staff member. Jos accused Horner of portraying himself as a victim in the midst of these allegations.
The details of their conversation, which took place inside a team trailer, remain unknown, although Horner’s visibly shaken posture, including gestures and animated expressions, was evident.
On the other hand, Jos maintained a more reserved posture, with his hands in his pockets.
This exchange of words has generated widespread speculation about its implications, including suggestions that Max Verstappen could consider a move to Ferrari, possibly joining Lewis Hamilton, or explore a position at Mercedes in anticipation of Hamilton’s departure in 2024.
Another theory suggests that Jos Verstappen was defending the implicated staff member or advising Horner to resign, while Horner resisted such suggestions.
Max Verstappen has explicitly refrained from supporting Horner during recent press engagements, hinting at his agreement with his father’s criticisms.
Despite the controversy, Horner was cleared of allegations of coercive behavior towards the woman in question last Wednesday.
In a remarkable show of solidarity, Horner’s wife, Geri Halliwell, accompanied him to Bahrain, publicly showing her support with a noticeable kiss amidst ongoing scrutiny.
