Jos Verstappen, the father of Max Verstappen, had a meeting with Toto Wolff in Jeddah.
Toto Wolff [L] and Max Verstappen [R] (images via IMAGO)
In early February, a female employee at Red Bull accused Christian Horner, the team’s principal, of inappropriate and controlling behavior. These allegations were taken seriously by Red Bull GmbH, who hired a private Barrister to handle the case. The investigation shed a negative light on the team.
Although Horner was recently cleared of the allegations, leaked evidence caused him further trouble. These leaks also reached Jos Verstappen, who expressed his belief that Horner’s leadership would lead to the downfall of Red Bull.
Considering the ongoing chaos within Red Bull, Verstappen Sr. believes that the team will lose its star driver, Max Verstappen. He suggests that Horner should reconsider his position on the team. Verstappen Sr. believes that the controversy surrounding Red Bull is solely due to Max Verstappen, and if he were to leave, the team would lose all its glory.
Red Bull finds itself in a difficult situation due to the ongoing controversies. The team members from Austria may start looking for a new home. Speculations have arisen about Verstappen potentially joining Mercedes in the future.
Before the Jeddah race, when Max Verstappen’s place on the team was at risk, he made it clear that he would leave if Christian Horner was let go. F1 journalist, , suggests that the team should prioritize keeping Horner over the reigning world champion.
According to Saward’s perspective, Horner has been with the team for over a decade and has played a crucial role in building the team and achieving its current success. While Max Verstappen’s contributions are undeniable, Saward believes that the person who built the team from scratch should be the one to stay.