A rift within Red Bull that threatens to split the team from the inside out casts doubt on Christian Horner’s ability to lead, and mounting criticism from outside the camp only makes the troubled team principal more vulnerable.
Red Bull is “in danger of being torn apart,” as expressed by Max Verstappe
n’s father, Jos Verstappen, who publicly demanded that Horner be fired. Then, Red Bull was compelled to release a statement in which they denied any problems and asserted that “the team is united and we are focused on racing.” Toto Wolff of Mercedes, Horner’s fiercest competitor, stated bluntly that he hoped the F1 authorities would “set the compass right.”
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Horner may have thought that Verstappen’s straightforward victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix, which marked Red Bull’s strong start to the season, would relieve some of the strain, but those dreams were dashed when the driver’s father decided to voice his opinions.
For the first time, Jos Verstappen publicly stated that he thought Horner should be fired in an interview with the Daily Mail. He stated, “As long as he stays in this position, there is tension here.” “There’s a chance this team might fall apart. Things cannot continue as they are. It’s going to blow up. Even though he is the one creating the issues, he is acting the victim.
Certain sections have claimed that Verstappen Sr. is trying to force Horner out of his position. That wouldn’t make sense, though, according to the 51-year-old father of Red Bull’s three-time world champion. Considering how well Max is doing here, why would I do that?
The first week of the season was dominated by the controversy surrounding the Red Bull team principal, who was cleared by an independent investigation into claims of inappropriate behavior made by a female employee but involved in a leaked email exchange containing messages purportedly exchanged between him and the complainant.
Horner did demonstrate support for his spouse Geri, who showed up to the track on Saturday hand in hand with her husband. It is believed that the pair left for the UK before Horner did.