Despite the continued domination of on-track performances, Red Bull is going through chaos off the track. Amid all the hustle-bustle, speculations over Max Verstappen and his future with the team are running wild. Mercedes, after Jos Verstappen’s meeting with Toto Wolff, has turned out to be the most likely destination for the Dutchman. However, F1 expert Karun Chandhok has a good reason why the sensational move might not happen.
Speaking ahead of the start of the FP1 session in Jeddah, the former F1 driver said, as quoted by Sky Sports, “Jos [Verstappen]’s first loyalty is going to lie with his son, and ultimately, above everything else, as a father he wants what’s best for Max [Verstappen]. And what’s best for Max is to be in the best car possible, winning lots of world championships and carrying on this journey that he’s on at the moment.”
Citing this reasoning, Chandhok iterated the Mercedes move might not happen. However, the former Lotus driver was quick to highlight the uncertain environment F1 is in currently. Lewis Hamilton announced his impending move to Ferrari in 2025 before the start of the 2024 season. Chandhok quotes that example to reveal how he never anticipated the move.
The rumors over Verstappen to Mercedes switch did not begin on unfounded grounds, though. During the season opener weekend in Bahrain, the 3-time champion’s father Jos called for Christian Horner’s ouster from Red Bull. Following the scathing accusations, Jos was pictured having a meeting with Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff.
Jos Verstappen won’t attend the Saudi Arabian GP
There are hardly any races on the F1 calendar that Jos Verstappen does not personally attend to support his son. The former Minardi driver attended the Bahrain GP last week but his appearance kicked up a storm. He will, however, miss the second race of the season in Jeddah.
Many see his absence as a sign of protest against Horner, whom he blames for creating a division in the team and “playing the victim”. Planet F1, however, has clarified that Jos is set to participate in Rallye de Hannut, which coincides with the F1 fixture in Saudi Arabia.
With tensions running high since last week, Max Verstappen issued a weighted response to calm some nerves. The reigning champion refused to take sides in the controversy by reinforcing his commitment to the “performance side” of things in the team. At the same time, he sided with his father, saying, “he is not a liar”, and maintaining how weird it would be for him to pick a side that wasn’t his father’s.
