lThe 'internal war' is unleashed in Red Bull, a team that this year has celebrated twice on the asphalt after Max Verstappen's victories at the start of the Formula 1 season: he won the Bahrain GP and the Saudi Arabia GP, with his teammate Sergio 'Checo' Pérez being second in both races; but that is overshadowed by the turbulent atmosphere that exists in the team.
Verstappen Christian Horner, team leader; Max's father, Jos Verstappen; Helmut Marko, the champion's mentor and advisor at Red Bull, and an employee of the team are part of a puzzle that does not seem to have a solution.
The death of businessman Dietrich Mateschitz, one of the creators of Red Bull, took its toll on the current two-time F1 constructors' world champion; his departure left a power vacuum, the same one that started this battle.
The season began turbulently for Red Bull. An internal investigation was opened for Horner for 'inappropriate behavior' against a team employee, but it was closed, he was acquitted, and the woman who reported him was suspended from her position. Jos was in charge of throwing the first dart after his son's victory in Bahrain: “The team risks being torn apart,” he said after what happened with Horner.
Max Verstappen and his team
Photo:
“Will explode. He (Horner) plays the victim when he is the one at the root of the problems.”
“Max and his father are determined to move away from Horner, who remains in his position as Red Bull team principal.”
That statement was just the first token that caused a chain effect. The British newspaper Daily Mail was the first to reveal a possible escape of 'Mad Max' from Red Bull: “Max and his father are determined to distance themselves from Horner, who remains in his position as director of the Red Bull team.”
Johnny Herbert, former British driver and Sky Sports commentator, said. “I have heard that (the Verstappens) are getting quite close to the agreement with Mercedes”, seeing that war in Red Bull that is not at all positive for the 'Great Circus'.
“It's not a good thing for F1 with all this happening. It doesn't help the situation for Red Bull, who has the best driver in the world at the moment. And they are very close to kicking him (Max Verstappen) out of the team,” he told The Sun newspaper.
Despite having a long-term contract signed until 2028, the Dutchman has a clause that would facilitate his departure: if Helmut leaves, he also leaves. But the continuity of the champion's mentor is not assured. According to the newspaper Bild, Horner wants to “keep the power of the team and have the final decision on everything”. The Brit would not be worried about Max's departure, nor that of Adrian Newey, another piece in the puzzle.
Max Verstappen
Photo:
His idea is, explains the German newspaper, to remove a good part of the Red Bull staff, in
cluding Helmut Marko, with whom he has a bad relationship. His plan, which has the support of Chalerm Yoovidhya, owner of 51 percent of the team, has already been launched in Arabia.
The three-time world champion has tried to pour cold water on the matter, upon his arrival at the Australian GP he once again asked for “peace” and did not want to get into that power struggle: “I am happy within the team, I don't want to get too involved in this either. kind of things,” he said.
For now, behind-the-scenes tensions continue to be covered up by Max's victories on the track. This Saturday, at the Australian GP, (11 pm STAR+ TV) one more victory is expected.
Harold Yepes
Editor of EL TIEMPO
@20Hart.
More Sports news
#Max #Verstappen #middle #internal #battle #unleashed #Red #Bull
