Verstappen’s dad in heated exchange with Christian Horner amid explosive Red Bull call

Max Verstappen’s dad has been spotted in a heated exchange with Christian Horner amid explosive comments about the Red Bull boss.

Christian Horner talks with Jos Verstappen at the Bahrain Grand Prix. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Jos Verstappen, the father of three-time reigning Formula 1 world champion Max Verstappen, has claimed that the Red Bull team will “explode” if team boss Christian Horner, recently cleared of charges of “inappropriate behaviour” towards a female employee, remains in his job.

“There is tension here while he (Horner) remains in position,” the former Dutch Formula One driver told the British newspaper Daily Mail in Sakhir, a few hours after his son’s triumph at the season-opening Bahrain Grand Prix on Saturday.

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“The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can’t go on the way it is. It will explode,” said Verstappen.

“He is playing the victim, when he is the one causing the problems.”

The father of the reigning three-time world champion has spotted having a heated exchange with Horner in the paddock over the weekend at the Bahrain Grand Prix.

Red Bull announced last week Horner had been cleared of alleged inappropriate behaviour following an internal investigation into complaints against him, which he has consistently denied.

But the sending, shortly afterwards, of an anonymous e-mail, containing WhatsApp messages allegedly written by Horner, to journalists, motorsport officials and rival teams, reignited the affair.

Christian Horner talks with Jos Verstappen at the Bahrain Grand Prix. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

If walls could talk... (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Jos Verstappen rejected notions which have been circulating that he played any part in the allegations which surfaced originally in Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.

“That wouldn’t make sense. Why would I do that when Max is doing so well here?” he said.

Several teams denounced a lack of transparency during Red Bull’s internal investigation.

Horner, who was accompanied by his wife Geri Halliwell in Bahrain in a public show of support, reiterated after Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez claimed a Red Bull one-two in the season-opener that the team was united.

“A one-two finish like this is the optimum and you don’t get that without being absolutely united, having a strong team and great support from partners and shareholders,” he said.

“You don’t achieve this without being united.”

Max and Jos Verstappen enter the paddock in Bahrain. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)

Asked by Sky Sports if he felt certain he had the backing of the Red Bull owners - including majority shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya who was with him in Bahrain — and was sure he would be at next weekend’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, he replied confidently.

“Backing? Absolutely, yes. And I’ll be there. Otherwise I wouldn’t be here!”

The 50-year-old Briton has guided Red Bull to six constructors’ championship wins and seven drivers’ title triumphs since 2005.

Last year’s Red Bull car won a record 21 of 22 races as the team dominated.

Jos Verstappen was also seen on numerous occasions speaking with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff in the paddock.

Mercedes have a spare seat next season with Lewis Hamilton’s move to Ferrari, while Verstappen is contracted to Red Bull until 2028.

Geri Horner with Jos Verstappen in the paddock in Bahrain. (Photo by Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

Max Verstappen has been careful not to address the Horner allegations directly.

“Listen, when I look at how Christian operates within the team, he has been an incredible team boss,” Verstappen said after qualifying in Bahrain.

“So absolutely, from the performance side of things, you can’t even question that. So that’s what I’m also dealing with.

“I speak to Christian a lot. And also, of course, throughout the weekend here, he’s fully committed to the team.

“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.”