Amidst the whirlwind of controversy surrounding Red Bull, team principal Christian Horner engaged in crucial discussions with Max Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, aiming to smooth over any existing off-track discord before the upcoming Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
This meeting, reported by the Press Association, unfolded in Dubai without the attendance of either Max or Jos Verstappen, yet was described as having gone well.
Red Bull’s presence in the media spotlight has extended beyond their commanding victory at the Bahrain Grand Prix, where Verstappen led a one-two finish with teammate Sergio Perez.
Recent weeks have seen Horner under scrutiny, although he was exonerated from accusations of inappropriate behavior following an independent inquiry.
READ: Jos Verstappen will miss Saudi GP after fighting Christian Horner
Nonetheless, the controversy lingered as F1 media and officials received supposed evidence from the investigation via anonymous emails, casting a shadow over the validity of these claims and eliciting no direct response from Horner.
The situation intensified with Jos Verstappen’s candid critique of Horner, hinting at potential rifts within the team due to the ongoing issues.
Amidst this turmoil, rumors have circulated about Max Verstappen considering a switch to Mercedes, potentially replacing Lewis Hamilton, thus adding another layer of pressure on Horner and the Red Bull team.
Despite these challenges, Verstappen has continued to publicly support Horner.
Speaking from Bahrain, Verstappen praised Horner’s leadership within the team, highlighting his remarkable role as a team boss and emphasizing his unwavering commitment to performance.
“Listen, when I look at how Christian operates within the team, he has been an incredible team boss, so absolutely, from the performance side of things, you can’t even question that.
“So that’s what I’m also dealing with,” Verstappen stated.
He acknowledged Horner’s possible distractions but reaffirmed their collective focus on performance. “I speak to Christian a lot.
“And also, of course, throughout the weekend here, he’s fully committed to the team.
READ: Max Verstappen’s dad warns Christian Horner will destroy Red Bull
“He’s also here for the performance, of course.
“Probably a little bit distracted, but like I said before, we just focus on the performance side of things.
“And that’s how we all work together,” Verstappen added, signaling a united front amid the team’s ongoing controversies.