Amidst the storm of controversy, Red Bull Team Principal Christian Horner stood united with his wife and the team’s majority shareholder, signaling a front of unity. He expressed, “I have great support within the team and the company. But I will not comment what motives someone might have for doing something like this.”
The scandal, reportedly involving an affair, has stirred significant tension within the team, as highlighted by Jos Verstappen: “There’s 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 the problems.”
FIA President Mohammed Ben Sulayem voiced his concerns about the scandal’s impact on Formula 1: “It damages the sport. It’s the start of the season, Formula 1 is becoming so popular,” he said, committing to “protect the sport from all this. We have to look at the competition. Why are we overshadowing it with negativity?”
Amidst rumors of internal power struggles potentially influencing the public leak of the scandal, involving figures like Dr. Helmut Marko and Adrian Newey, Jos Verstappen denied such involvement: “Why would I do that when Max is doing so well here? That wouldn’t make sense.”
The controversy has even seen Toto Wolff, previously at odds with Horner, engaging positively with Jos Verstappen, amidst speculation around Max Verstappen’s future with Mercedes: “I’ve known Jos for 25 years, through ups and downs, and I simply congratulated him on his son’s achievements. Anything is possible,” Wolff remarked, fueling further speculation.
Ralf Schumacher spoke on the need for swift resolution within Red Bull to prevent further fallout: “This unrest needs to be dealt with quickly now. If there are splits and someone loses motivation, things like that happen very quickly. Formula 1 is known for something like that – who would have thought a few months ago that Lewis Hamilton would leave Mercedes?”
Despite the swirling rumors of Horner’s potential step down, he confirmed his attendance at the next race: “Yes, absolutely. I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”
Ralf Schumacher speculated on the ongoing nature of the controversy: “Everyone either needs to apologise to one another or someone needs to go. The damage to the brand is already gigantic,” highlighting the tension within the team. “It’s taken up a lot of space this week – too much. I also thought that Max was only cautiously happy (after winning). The ordeal isn’t over yet. I could imagine Max saying he’s doing something completely different. A team structure is very fragile. Adrian Newey, too, has achieved everything and just wants to build cars in peace now. Then Horner would be standing there along with his drawing board,” suggesting the delicate balance within Red Bull Racing.
F1 journalist Leo Turrini’s comments shed light on the distaste for the public airing of private disputes: “I feel repugnance for those who disclosed the private conversations of human beings who have families, children, relatives, friends. From the outside, one has the impression of being witnesses of a power conflict. That’s why I found Toto Wolff and Zak Brown’s position embarrassing, to say the least,” he stated, expressing a personal distaste for such revelations: “When I was a child studying the animal kingdom, I never liked vultures. And I don’t even like Chris Horner.”
