Max Verstappen's father, Jos, will not attend the Saudi Grand Prix after comments he made about Red Bull coach Christian Horner being in danger, sources told ESPN.
Last week, Horner was cleared of misconduct by Red Bull, the racing team's parent company, following an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior by a Red Bull Racing employee.
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An email sent from an anonymous account containing messages allegedly related to the case was leaked to the media the day after the complaint was dismissed, but Horner remained at his job.
McLaren team boss Zak Brown and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff called on Formula 1 authorities to make a claim Greater transparency than Red Bull Regarding the recent investigation into Horner.
After his son won the Bahrain Grand Prix, Jos Verstappen told… daily Mail: “There is tension here while [Horner] He remains in office. The team is threatened with disintegration. It cannot continue as it is. It will explode. “He plays the victim, while he is the one causing the problems.”
Verstappen Sr and Horner were seen arguing heatedly the night before the Bahrain Grand Prix, although the Dutchman later returned to apologise.
Verstappen Sr has reportedly told those close to him that his son will leave Red Bull if Horner stays. him too He reportedly had dinner with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff While preparing for the race.
Mercedes has yet to find a replacement for Lewis Hamilton when the seven-time champion leaves for Ferrari in 2025. It is not known whether the world champion shares his father's opinion about Horner or about leaving the team if he stays.
With Red Bull tensions reaching a boiling point and with the narrative starting to shift towards him instead, Gus Verstappen has backed out of attending this week's race in Jeddah, sources have confirmed to ESPN.
Throughout his son's career, he has been a near-permanent fixture on the Formula 1 paddock. Although he won't be there, the elder Verstappen theme is likely to dominate the build-up to the second Formula 1 race of the season.
His comments about Horner caused a stir. A report in The Telegraph suggested that the current world champion has been left in the position of needing to choose between his father and the boss of his victorious Formula 1 team.
Sources familiar with the situation also indicated that this feeling has been growing within the team for some time.
Verstappen Sr.'s tough love approach to his son involves leaving Max on the side of the road while returning home after a disappointing karting result.
Despite his strong stance towards Horner, Verstappen Sr is no stranger to courting controversy himself. After a 1998 fight at a go-kart track, a Belgian court sentenced him to five years in prison, after convicting him of fracturing the victim's skull.
In 2008, Verstappen Sr. was fined and given a three-month suspended prison sentence for threatening Sophie Kompen, Max's mother, and breaching a restraining order.
In November 2011, he denied an allegation of assault by an unnamed 24-year-old girlfriend. In January 2012, he was arrested for attempted murder after allegedly driving a car toward his ex-girlfriend in the Netherlands. He was released after two weeks in prison when the charge was withdrawn due to lack of evidence.
The controversy surrounding Horner and the increasing coverage around his father has done little to diminish Max Verstappen's focus on a fourth world title.
The Dutchman won the opening race in Bahrain, achieving pole position, fastest lap, and race victory while leading every lap of the race – a combination of achievements known in racing as the Grand Chelem.
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