Red Bull is going through a difficult period, and these difficulties are not just limited to the track. The team is divided into factions but holds together. However, the feeling, especially given the problems of the RB20 at this stage of the season, is that at any moment all this tension could lead to a definitive break. After the farewell of Adrian Newey there has been a lot of talk about the future of Red Bull and the future of 3-time world champion Max Verstappen. Max's presence is also strongly linked to that of his entourage which includes dad Jos, a former F1 driver. Although Max Verstappen is the cornerstone of a team that has won everything in the last two seasons, his stay may not be so obvious. The motivation is linked to the relationship between Jos Verstappen and Christian Horner.
The fight between Jos Verstappen and Christian Horner continues
At every race the two never miss an opportunity to argue and throw digs at each other. Horner exercises his power to exclude Jos as much as possible, who does not hide his desire to permanently change area. The only thing that still keeps them tied to Red Bull is the performance of the single-seater, even if we are approaching a regulation change that could overturn the values again. Precisely for this reason, Jos Verstappen, interviewed at the Austrian GP, spoke about the possibility of Max Verstappen joining another top team, in this case Mercedes.
Max's father raised the topic again during the weekend of the Austrian GP, at the Red Bull Ring. Right here in Jos would have been denied participation in the Legends Parade. It would have been Christian Horner who had a hand in it, who according to what Jos Verstappen told him would have told him to "pay attention to the brakes" , forcing Jos to give up.
Where will Max Verstappen go?
This situation makes everything more complicated for Verstappen who must not only compensate for the performance of the RB20, but also manage this dispute, preventing it from having a negative impact on his future. It's no secret that Toto Wolff has been courting Verstappen for months. Christian Horner jokingly said at the press conference in Spielberg that if Mercedes wants a Verstappen, Jos is available. Jos Verstappen responded to this provocation with another provocation, this time more serious.
To a question about Max's future, Jos responded by stating that: “There's a lot going on, I don't want to say too much." The next question however, it was more specific, e.g he asked if Max's move to Mercedes couldn't be ruled out. Jos responded to this question with a lapidary "Exact".
On Horner Jos instead preferred not to expose himself too much, reiterating that: "There are a lot of things going on regarding him, but I don't want to say anything else about that either.".
The situation is therefore delicate but it is not the primary concern for Red Bull who hopes to be able to take a victory at home.
Source statements: FormulaPassion
