Unrest at Red Bull

Horner sought discussion with Verstappen manager

Christian Horner (left) and Max Verstappen

(Bild: APA/AFP/Toshifumi KITAMURA)

Following a frontal attack from Max Verstappen's camp, Red Bull team boss Christian Horner is said to have met with the Formula 1 world champion's manager to discuss the matter. This was reported by the British news agency PA.

The meeting between Raymond Vermeulen and the British driver, who is under severe pressure, is said to have taken place in Dubai on Monday, according to reports in the British media. Horner had previously been indirectly asked to resign by Verstappen's father Jos, as the affair surrounding the team boss's alleged inappropriate behavior was putting a strain on the racing team.

Defending champion Max Verstappen is said to have been absent from the meeting, as was his father, who celebrated his 52nd birthday in Dubai on Monday. Instead, high-ranking Red Bull employees are said to have been at the meeting. An unnamed source reported that the conversation between the Verstappen manager and Horner went well.

Verstappen dad with harsh criticism
Jos Verstappen recently told the British newspaper "Daily Mail" that Horner was playing the victim "while he is the one causing the problems". The team is in danger of being torn apart. "It can't go on like this. It will explode," said Jos Verstappen. The statements became public after Max Verstappen's victory in Saturday's race in Bahrain, where the affair surrounding Horner overshadowed the start of the season.

After the parent company Red Bull commissioned an independent lawyer to carry out an investigation, the employee's complaint was rejected. She accused Horner of inappropriate behavior, which the 50-year-old Red Bull Racing team boss denied. The subsequent emergence of spicy emails caused the matter to pick up speed again.