“He Doesn’t Give a F***”: Despite Recent Max Verstappen Team Order Furore, Christian Horner Once Hailed Golden Boy as a Dream to Manage

Red Bull and Max Verstappen have come quite far together and have seen their fair share of highs and lows since the Dutchman joined the team in 2016. The driver also delivered them their first championship since 2013, marking a return of silverware to Milton-Keynes.

However, the journey together hasn’t been the smoothest for them, with controversies surrounding them each year. 2022 was no exception and this time it was the team order fiasco in Brazil, which marked a row between the team’s drivers as Verstappen refused to follow the team’s orders and took the shot on his own. While the follow-up reports then suggested the challenges that Red Bull and Horner have with Max Verstappen, the team always calls the driver supportive and easygoing.

Making their case last year and contrary to this year’s incident, Christian Horner hailed Max as a straightforward driver. “But I think the great thing about Max is he doesn’t give a f—. He is who he is. He drives a car fast. And then he wants to go home and play on his Playstation. It’s as simple as that,” Horner told the Telegraph in 2021.

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Horner, as quoted by RacingNews365 in 2021, said, “He [Max] appreciates absolute openness and honesty and vice versa. You hear some of his radio transmissions are brutally honest and that’s just the way he is,” which, in a way, also sums up Max’s radio in Brazil this year. 

What happened between Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez in Brazil?

The drama at Red Bull occurred during the Brazil GP as Max Verstappen and Sergio Perez were both battling to overtake the Alpine of Fernando Alonso. And, after allowing Max to hunt the Spaniard, which he failed to do, Sergio Perez asked for the position back so he could try again.

To everyone’s surprise, Checo was denied the chance as Verstappen, while refusing to be overtaken, said, “I told you already last summer. You guys don’t ask that again to me, ok? Are we clear about that? I gave my reasons and I stand by it.”

A position up for Perez would’ve meant a stronger standing of P2 in the championship, which didn’t happen until the end. The Mexican driver was left in disbelief and commented, “After all I have done for him, it is a bit disappointing to be honest. I have no idea. I am really surprised,” after the race and controversy unfurled and sparked a management debate at Red Bull.

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Christian Horner has seen his fair share of managing drivers and champions over the years, as well as plenty of drama surrounding and between his driver pairs, such as Sebastian Vettel and Mark Webber, Max Verstappen, and Daniel Ricciardo. How do you think he will handle it next season if the need arises? Do you think the conflict will spiral further or have they settled it? Let us know.