DEFIANT HORNER WANTS TO FOCUS ON RACING DESPITE BACKGROUND TURMOIL
Under-fire Red Bull Racing boss says he wants to concentrate on competitive action
Red Bull Racing chief Christian Horner said he is dedicated to maintaining his team’s grip on Formula 1 success despite the turbulent times that have besieged the team over the course of the last 10 days.
Horner was cleared of inappropriate behaviour towards a female colleague by a Red Bull inquiry in the days leading up to the opening grand prix of the year in Bahrain that was won by the team’s World champion driver Max Verstappen and team-mate Sergio
Perez finished second.
However, as practice was taking place on Friday, a dossier of WhatsApp messages allegedly sent between Horner and the staff member were leaked to almost 150 people, including rival team principals, F1 prime movers and the media. The leak reignited the controversy.
Horner refused to comment specifically on the turmoil over the course of the weekend in Sakhir. Instead, he said he was dedicated to the success of his team.
He said: “Achieving maximum points is the perfect start to our 20th season.
One down out of 24.
“It’s not been pleasant with the unwanted attention. My focus has been very much with what’s on track.
The result demonstrated where the focus of the team is, and we move onwards.”
Horner’s case wasn’t helped by Max Verstappen’s father Jos, who said that the situation could cause the Red Bull team to implode. Max has a contract with Red Bull through until the end of 2028. Former F1 driver Jos said: “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 the problems.”
Horner said that he fully expected to be in charge of Red Bull for the longer term. He said that as far as he was concerned the controversy was behind him. He added: “There was a full, lengthy internal process that was completed by an independent
KC [attorney]. The grievance that was raised was dismissed. End of. Move on.”
Sources said on Sunday that Max Verstappen had been asked to back Horner in his role by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem, who had been one of the people to receive the leaked messages.
Although Max didn’t adhere to the request, he did say that the motivation within the team remained strong.
“From my side, and I think what
I can see also from the mechanics and the engineers, we are fully focused on the car and the performance here during the weekend,” he said. “And that’s how it should be, I think, and that’s what we continue to do.”