Red Bull, the empire, has been under siege from the Formula One media to answer questions over their long running soap opera. The story may have started with a complaint from a female employee, but it escalated quickly following the leak from a Dutch publication that Christian Horner was under investigation.
Behind the scenes it appears this was part of a power play to gain control of the two Red Bull owned racing teams. That said, the female has taken up her right to appeal, so the matter will run until at least this part of the process is concluded.
Jos outspoken criticism of Horner
What this Piraña Club drama has revealed is that there are those on the periphery who have become the most vehement critics of how Red Bull have handled the matter, the Austrian based company has stuck to its internal approved procedures.
Calls for transparency are ridiculous given the confidential nature of the documents included in the investigation. Further, given Horner was acquitted during the process, any documents suggesting he was somehow guilty by implication would be wrong to discuss.
Jos Verstappen was the first of the street fighters to get involved claiming after the race in Bahrain that Christian Horner should leave.
“There is tension here while he remains in position,” Jos Verstappen told the Daily Mail. “The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can’t go on the way it is. It will explode.”
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Max’s father then went on to criticise Horner again the following week when the F1 teams were in Jeddah. Jos said that he ‘sympathised’ with the female who had bright the accusation and suggested the time had passed when everyone could move past the allegations as Horner had called for.
“I think it’s a bit too late for that now. If that’s what he [Horner] wants, fine, but I don’t think it will be possible,” said Jos.
“I don’t want to talk too much more as it will create problems. But the most important thing for me is that Max is happy, that’s what counts for me, I just want him to be happy.”
Horner then came out fighting, staring publicly “no individual is bigger than the team” and that he would not oppose Max Verstappen should he choose to leave Red Bull before his contract expires in 2028.
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Jos now wants “peace”
Jos also appears to have been brought to heel as the team arrives in Melbourne. When asked about whether he’d been part of a Red Bull power struggle, Jos admitted: “That’s part of it, but it is also necessary that there is peace in the team now. It’s necessary to get some calm again, but given the circumstances, it will take a while, I think.”
Max’s father is no longer calling for Horner to leave or indeed criticising the team boss. In somewhat of a U-Turn Jos admits the team are working extremely well: “The car is running very well and between the engineers and him there is nothing wrong. For the most part, Max can switch off, but he gets a lot of questions about it.”
“He doesn’t like that, but it is also part of Formula 1.”
But this is not the end of the line for those who decided on the corner opposite to Christian Horner. Ralph Schumacher is one such F1 commentator. He has persistently called for transparency and openness and criticised Horner based on circumstantial evidence.
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“What I found and still think is a shame: the Christian Horner case outshines everything,” Ralph tells Sport 1.
“This became particularly clear on the first weekend in Bahrain. It wasn’t until race day that there was a little talk about the sport. What also bothers me about the whole thing: An objective assessment is extremely difficult because there is a complete lack of transparency.”
Ralph joins the mob who suggest Christian Horner has been playing the victim, when all along he should in fact accept responsibility – well for something.
“It became problematic for me when he portrayed himself as a victim in the PK in Saudi Arabia. I’m sorry for his family, yes, but there was only one person who started this whole thing: him.
“I can’t accept that he keeps saying he doesn’t want to talk about it in detail. I can say from my own experience when it comes to my divorce: Yes, it is difficult at the beginning when such a private matter is carried out in public. But there comes a time when we have to talk about it because in the end it’s what’s best for all parties.”
‘Horner should go’
Schumacher ploughs on with his mantra that no news is bad news. “For example, you don’t hear anything from Horner’s employee and that’s not good. Nobody talks about her. One thing is certain: As long as this chaos remains, it will do immense damage to Red Bull.
“Horner said that no one is more important than the team. Therefore, he should follow this command and resign as soon as possible.”
The female accuser has now herself been suspended whilst Red Bull now investigate whether someone leaked documents or gave untrue testimony to the investigation.
Ralph is unrepentant and concludes flippantly: “Everything should be sorted out as quickly as possible. It wouldn’t hurt anyone if he left. It would be important for the Red Bull brand.”
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Oh for heaven’s SAKE!
Maybe we should be asking Ralph for “transparency” with his brother’s situation then!
How would HE know if Red Bull would or would not be hurt by CH leaving?!
When CH says this has put a strain on his family, that’s not suggesting HE is a victim – he’s saying his FAMILY is the victim, and they should never have been put in such a position.
And WHY does this have more coverage than the races … because idiots like him KEEP spouting from a point of ignorance about what this is all about.
Tired of it all. Give it up
His family was also a victim when he walked out on them. His child was still a baby
Cannot feel sorry for him in the slightest, sorry
If ch is a family man then so as to protect them, resign ! after all he has been his own architect of all this not forgetting the lady is the real victim. Nobody is greater than the team so using his own words leave. Don’t forget how he bullied Masa into making a mistake destroying the credibility of Formula one world championship and the FIA ,which still hasn’t recovered from. He is a person that the sport could and should not have,
Why is Jos Verstappen involved. I don’t take my dad to my day job. In fact, I don’t think anyone does. I understand that he is a red bull guest? A guest doesn’t criticise the host. End of.
The press and others should stop this hounding, get on with the racing.Its all becoming boring.
FFS man go home and leave the team alone to do their job and help your son win. If you keep going you will destroy everything and not only that no tam in their right mind would want your son while you are his manager. Just home and sleep for a few years.
Seems to me that Jos is after Horners job – what ever it takes
What the hell has Jos got to do with it, he does NT work for red bull , his only connection is his son as a driver
None of anyone’s businesses but the parties involved, mind your own business and don’t believe that you have right to transparency. Just do your own job and let’s go racing.