Max Verstappen’s father is expected to stay away from his son’s upcoming races as tensions continue to rise at Red Bull over Christian Horner’s ‘sex texts’ scandal, it has been revealed.
Jos Verstappen will reportedly not attend upcoming events, including this week’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, where F1 team bosses are holding ‘clear-the-air talks’ in a bid to calm what is quickly becoming a toxic situation has become.
The revelation comes after images emerged of Horner, whose career and marriage to Geri Halliwell are in jeopardy after he had a blazing row with Verstappen senior at the Red Bull paddock house in Bahrain.
According to Bild, Horner was also absent from a birthday meal for Verstappen snr on Monday evening, despite other F1 team members, such as the star driver’s manager Raymond Vermeulen and team director Helmut Marko, being present.
The F1 star’s father was dragged into the ongoing saga with Horner after he was accused of being close to the woman the F1 boss is accused of sexting. He also claimed that Red Bull would ‘explode’ if Horner remains as team boss.
Meanwhile, questions have been raised about how much Red Bull, which cleared Horner last week of misconduct and improper conduct, knew about the unnamed employee relationship with both men.
Max Verstappen’s father is expected to stay away from his son’s upcoming races as tensions continue to rise at Red Bull over Christian Horner’s ‘sex texts’ scandal. In the photo: Horner and Verstappen in Bahrain on March 2
Jos Verstappen, father of F1 driver Max, six days ago in another animated conversation with Christian Horner in Bahrain
Scandal-hit Horner has a row with his nemesis Jos Verstappen, father of Red Bull star driver Max, on camera in Bahrain
Top figures within the F1 team have held talks with someone close to the Verstappens in the run-up to this weekend’s race, according to reports The times.
During the chat, those involved pledged to put the team first during the ongoing dispute.
Speculation is mounting that Verstappen could sensationally quit Red Bull while his father was in talks with Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff in Bahrain.
There will be an empty seat at Mercedes when Lewis Hamilton leaves at the end of 2024. Others have speculated that he will join Hamilton at Ferrari.
The team is seen as a possible option for the world number one if tensions at Red Bull do not ease.
The team tried to show a show of unity in Bahrain this weekend, with Horner and his Spice Girl wife – who was said last week to have ‘had the meltdown to end all meltdowns over the leaks’ – smiling and hugging as they looked on.
However, last night it emerged that Horner is still in contact with the female colleague at the center of the feud and was even asked to fly to Bahrain last weekend to support the team, The Sun reported.
Christian Horner’s career and marriage to Spice Girl Geri Halliwell (pictured) are under pressure following the allegations
Jos Verstappen will reportedly not attend any upcoming events, including this week’s Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. In the photo: Verstappen snr in Bahrain during the weekend
Max Verstappen, who won the Bahrain Grand Prix this weekend, with Red Bull boss Horner
Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing during the Formula 1 Grand Prix of Bahrain on March 2
Despite the explosive claims, the female employee has apparently remained at work at Red Bull’s headquarters in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire.
The woman at the center of the sexual misconduct allegations has been working for RedBull for four years, MailOnline previously revealed.
Horner is said to have threatened legal action against a Formula 1 magazine that named the female colleague, claiming the publication had breached privacy and data rights. He also said it was defamatory, according to a report in the Telegraph.
Sources close to Verstappen snr claim that he has been friends with the female colleague for at least three years.
They were even said to have been seen looking cozy together on a yacht in Abu Dhabi in November 2021, celebrating Red Bull’s victory at a Grand Prix where his son famously overtook Lewis Hamilton to win the World Drivers’ Championship.
It added to speculation about Verstappen snr’s involvement in the scandal, with him having to deny any involvement when the files were first leaked. He has also denied the leaking news about the complaints procedure against Horner to a Dutch newspaper.
An insider with knowledge of the row told MailOnline today that it shows Formula 1 is a ‘dirty world’.
His son, Max, was also dragged into the fray and refused four times during press conferences to offer Horner unconditional support. Insiders have said he generally supports his father’s position.
Horner was cleared of misconduct last month after an internal investigation at Red Bull into ‘coercive behavior’ towards the colleague. However, messages leaked between the two.
The leak of messages appears to show that Horner sent her suggestive texts and intimate photos, believed to be key evidence in her complaint, to Red Bull GmbH. There were reportedly more than 100 text messages and photos.