Jos Verstappen, the father of reigning F1 world champion Max Verstappen, has opted out of attending the upcoming Saudi Arabian Grand Prix due to escalating tensions with Red Bull F1 team principal Christian Horner. According to ESPN, Verstappen Sr. will not be present at the second round of the season in Jeddah following comments he made about Horner.
Horner had been under scrutiny during the F1 season opener in Bahrain after allegations against him were dismissed. However, fresh controversy arose when purported evidence from the investigation into his conduct was leaked to F1 team principals and media from an anonymous email account.
Verstappen Sr. was seen engaged in a heated argument with Horner on Friday night, later apologizing. He has cautioned that Red Bull may face turmoil if the situation isn’t resolved, stating to the Daily Mail after his son’s victory in Bahrain, “There is tension here while he remains in position.
The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can’t go on the way it is. It will explode. He is playing the victim, when he is the one causing problems.”
Verstappen Sr., denying involvement in the leaks, has also reportedly indicated to friends that his son might consider leaving Red Bull if Horner retains his position.
Speculation has arisen regarding Max Verstappen potentially making a sensational move to Mercedes as a replacement for Lewis Hamilton, who is set to join Ferrari in 2025.
When questioned about the possibility of Verstappen joining Mercedes, team principal Toto Wolff responded, “Everything is possible.”
Following the season opener, Christian Horner emphasized his confidence in remaining in his role for the entirety of the 2024 season. He stated to media outlets including Crash.net, “I’ve always been entirely confident that I would be here. There was a full, lengthy internal process that was completed by an independent KC. And the grievance that was raised was dismissed. End of. Move on.”
