Max Verstappen Makes Public Plea to Christian Horner and Father Jos as “Nursery Squabble” Breaks Up Fragile Team “Truce”

Will Max Verstappen’s father Jos become the reason for his Red Bull exit? Well, the Dutch F1 Champ may have said he wants to continue with the Milton-Keynes outfit in 2025. But his father has entered into a fight with RBR boss Christian Horner that threatens Max’s relation with the team. While Helmut Marko called it a ‘nursery squabble’, Max himself requested for it to stop. The current World Champion even claimed the two parties ‘could have avoided’ the fight as it affects Red Bull’s ‘truce’.

It all started with Jos Verstappen hearing ‘from multiple sources’ that Horner does not want him to participate in the Legends’ Parade in Austria. Insulted at being dismissed by his son’s boss, the ex-F1 driver pulled out from the Parade himself. Then, he claimed that Christian Horner had pulled every string to keep him from driving for the Legends’ Parade. But the Red Bull leader denied this allegation right away.

The ongoing back-and-forth between Max’s father and his boss has evidently affected the Dutch lion. When the interviewers asked him about the fight ahead of the Austrian GP Sprint, Verstappen said, “Obviously, you don’t want these things to happen. I have a good relationship with everyone, but this situation could have been avoided. “

Max Verstappen could have a contract with Red Bull that goes into 2028, but he can leave by activating the exit clause. It is no news that Toto Wolff is keeping Lewis Hamilton’s seat at Mercedes free for 2025 because he wants to take up the reigning World Champion. If the argument with Christian Horner does not end soon, Jos Verstappen could make his son switch to the Silver Arrows. To make matters worse, this is not the first fight between Jos and Christian in 2024. So, what other reason has led to bad blood between the two F1 veterans?

The saga of Jos Verstappen versus Christian Horner 

While the latest row between Jos Verstappen and Christian Horner is due to the Legends’ Parade, the two have a history of feuds that started in early 2024. Just before the current season began, Horner had become the center of a high-profile harassment case. A Red Bull employee had accused the 50-year-old of inappropriate behavior. Then, the Austrian team put Horner on investigation and Jos Verstappen gave his two bits on the incident. Instead of supporting his son’s boss, the ex-F1 driver called for his dismissal from Red Bull.

Speaking to the media about the investigation into Christian Horner, Jos claimed, “There is tension here [at Red Bull] while he [Horner] remains in position. The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can’t go the way it is. It will explode.” In fact, the fight between them went so far that Jos Verstappen snubbed Horner from the guest list at his 50th birthday party. But Max Verstappen remained diplomatic with no comments on the feud.

As for Verstappen, the 26-year-old has built a 69-point gap to his closest rival, Lando Norris on the World Championship table. However, his road to a fourth F1 title might not be smooth as McLaren’s Lando Norris and Mercedes’ Lewis Hamilton are improving rapidly. At the Spanish GP last weekend, these three names formed the podium. Do you think Verstappen needs to feel any risk from Norris’ and Hamilton’s recent improvements? Share your opinions in the comments below.