Red Bull driver Max Verstappen has spoken out on the team’s tumultuous period involving an investigation into team principal Christian Horner. Despite the potential distractions, Verstappen has described the situation as a “minor disturbance.”
The roots of the issue trace back to an internal investigation into Horner, launched after an employee leveled misconduct allegations, which were later dismissed. However, 24 hours after the investigation exonerated the team chief, WhatsApp messages which were allegedly between Horner and the employee surfaced. The employee has now appealed the findings of the investigation and it is going through the appeal process.
In the midst of this, Max’s father, Jos Verstappen, openly criticized Horner, advocating for his departure and exacerbating the tension by withdrawing from a Legends Parade at the Austrian Grand Prix under contentious circumstances. Jos detailed his frustrations, stating, as quoted by Planet F1:
“In recent days, I have heard from several sides that Christian Horner has done everything to not let me drive. And otherwise to make sure that nothing would be filmed.
“Then I think, ‘Say it in my face’. This way, it doesn’t have to be for me, I find it very disappointing.”
Max, however, brings a resilient perspective to these challenges, possibly shaped by personal experiences such as his parents’ divorce when he was just nine. Whilst speaking with Daily Mail, the three-time champion commented:
“With the way I grew up, these kind of things won’t unsettle me.
“For me these are quite minor disturbances. I know how to focus on the race and how to get the best performance out of myself, even with what might be going on in the background.
“That said, it’s always nice to have a fully friendly environment. Everyone was talking about it [the Horner investigation] at the beginning of the year but it definitely improved a lot up until this point.
“Then came the last race. I’m confident even that will be sorted out. Sometimes you need to give it a bit of time and not get too emotional about it.”
Looking ahead, Verstappen’s considerations for his future with Red Bull hinge on performance and the quality of his working relationships within the team. He continued:
“I always look at it from a performance side of things, as well as at the people around me and the working relationship I have with them.
“It’s a whole team effort. It’s very important for us to try to keep that group together. For the moment that is the case.”
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