Ex-F1 Champion Cryptically Confirms Power Struggle at Red Bull After Jos Verstappen’s Outburst Against Christian Horner

Ex-F1 Champion Cryptically Confirms Power Struggle at Red Bull After Jos Verstappen Giving Christian Horner Ultimatum

Despite a dominant start to their 2024 campaign, Red Bull’s achievements have been marred by the ongoing controversy surrounding Christian Horner. The Red Bull team principal has been embroiled in an ugly situation since the beginning of February. Even though an internal investigation dismissed the complaint made against him, Max Verstappen’s father Jos wants him gone. This hinted at a possible rumor that a power struggle had ensued within Red Bull. 1996 F1 world champion, Damon Hill has now confirmed this.

Verstappen reportedly told The Daily Mail, “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,” while referring to Horner.

Damon Hill reposted the said tweet from journalist, Johnathon Noble and cryptically commented, “So at least that’s one part of the riddle cleared up…..”

Jos Verstappen and Horner reportedly have a strained relationship. This boiled over when Horner went under investigation. Now, the Dutchman seems to be taking advantage of the situation, by putting Horner under more pressure.

This set of developments hints towards a clear internal fight within the Red Bull ranks. For the team as a whole, this is not good, especially because from a racing point of view, they look stronger than ever. Their public image is getting more tarnished with each passing day. To add to their problems, Max Verstappen’s future with the team also seems to be in jeopardy.

Max Verstappen linked to 2025 Mercedes seat

The idea of Verstappen signing for Mercedes would seem ridiculous to many, considering the rivalry he shared with the outfit. However, with how quickly the issues at Red Bull have escalated, the prospect of this sensational switch does not seem too far-fetched anymore.

Ahead of the Bahrain GP, Jos Verstappen was seen chatting with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff. And when Wolff was quizzed about a potential swoop for Verstappen, he grinned and replied (as quoted by GPBlog.com), “Anything is possible.”

There is still a long way to go before the 2025 season kicks off. What really could send the paddock into a frenzy is what Max Verstappen will have to say to the media, the next time he faces them, in the aftermath of his father’s comments about Horner.

Post Edited By: Vidit Dhawan
Christian Horner Jos Verstappen Red Bull

About the author

Anirban Aly Mandal

Anirban Aly Mandal is an F1 writer at The SportsRush, with over 1000 articles under his belt, Anirban's love for F1 started when he discovered a copy of F1 2014 on his computer. With over half a decade's worth of time spent religiously following the sport, he’s dived deep into the world of motorsports. However, Anirban's expertise goes beyond just writing - he has also written several academic papers focused on the domain of motorsports and the law. His passion for the sport is so immense that he aspires to work as a legal advisor in the most prestigious racing series in the world someday. When it comes to Formula 1, Anirban finds great pleasure in re-watching classic races and idolizes the likes of Ayrton Senna, Nigel Mansell, and Sebastian Vettel. His top picks include Brazil '91, Silverstone '92, and Germany '19. Outside of the sport, Anirban is an avid sim racer, often found racing on titles like Assetto Corsa, F1 22, and Automobilista. Apart from his interests in gaming, Anirban has a keen interest in philosophy, literature and music.

Don’t miss these