Jos Verstappen offers backing to lady at centre of Red Bull scandal

Jos Verstappen has spoken for the primary time since a feminine Red Bull worker was suspended within the Christian Horner Red Bull saga – and given her his backing.

Formula 1 boss Horner, 50, who’s married to former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, 51, was accused of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ final month with the unidentified lady, however subsequently exonerated in an investigation. 

The college graduate is a colleague of the Red Bull group principal and after he was cleared, she was suspended earlier this week, on full pay due to the probe.

Officials claimed it was as a result of she had been ‘dishonest’ however sources have expressed shock claiming she has been frolicked to dry whereas Horner has saved his £8 million a yr job.

But the lady has now received backing from former Grand Prix ace Verstappen snr, 52, who’s the daddy of present world champion Max Verstappen, Red Bull’s prime driver.

Speaking solely to MailOnline whereas participating within the Hannut Rally in Belgium, he stated: ‘I sympathise with the lady, with all that she went by means of, however we’ll see what occurs.’

The lady was suspended after messages of the embarrassing texts supposedly between the lady and Horner had been leaked.

When requested if it was time to ‘draw a line’ below the state of affairs, as Horner stated at his press convention in Saudi Arabia forward of this weekend’s race, Verstappen snr was dismissive.

He stated: ‘I believe it is a bit too late for that now. If that is what he needs, wonderful, however I do not assume will probably be potential. I do not wish to speak an excessive amount of extra as it’s going to create issues.

‘But an important factor for me is that Max is glad, that is what counts for me, I simply need him to be glad.’

Rumours have been swirling across the F1 circuit that it was Verstappen snr who leaked incriminating texts between the lady and Horner final month.

And there have even been ideas he’s concerned together with her, however he has denied any such involvement.

When requested once more about her destiny Verstappen snr – who was driving a Skoda within the rally – stated: ‘Red Bull appear to know what they’re doing together with her, we’ll see. But I believe it’s for her to come back out and see what occurs.

‘I’m not absolutely in control with what is going on together with her.’

He added: ‘But all this stuff which can be happening are having an affect on Max.

‘He was third within the first observe, and all we hear about is Horner and what occurred along with his state of affairs.

‘In the press convention Horner gave the opposite day it was all about him and his issues once we must be speaking about Max, the automobile, his efficiency and the race.

‘I’ve already stated I believe it’s inflicting issues if he stays.’

Verstappen snr added: ‘I believe it is too late for Christian to say ‘depart me alone’ however he has the assist of the Thai proprietor so I believe he’ll keep for the remainder of the season.

‘I stated it will unhealthy if he stayed, it actually is not good for the group, this complete state of affairs.’

After final weekend’s race in Bahrain, Verstappen snr and Horner had been pictured speaking animatedly in a trailer residence.

But Verstappen snr laughed off any ideas of a row and stated: ‘That was earlier, on Friday, earlier than the race.

‘He was saying to me ‘Do you belief me? I’ll do all the things to your son’ and we had been speaking with our fingers, we did not have a battle.

‘But on Friday we did have an argument within the workplace, and I walked out however, within the trailer, he got here as much as me and stated ‘Congratulations, good race’.’

Verstappen snr carved out a F1 profession between 1994 and 2003 gaining two podium locations earlier than later switching to rally driving.

He informed MailOnline: ‘There are much less issues in rallying than in Formula 1, there will not be so many controversies, it is extra pleasing.’

Verstappen snr was glad to be pictured and signed autographs for the gang on the Hannut Rally the place he arrived in a VW Golf.

His group of three mechanics busied themselves round his automobile whereas he relaxed in a group trailer residence parked close by.

Sponsored by Red Bull and a personal jet firm, Verstappen snr appeared in a unique league to the opposite groups competing by way of tools and again up.

He can be participating in a rally this weekend and subsequent in Belgium earlier than jetting out to Melbourne for the Australian GP on March 24 becoming a member of son Max on a personal jet for the journey.

Controversy erupted final month at Red Bull when particulars of the lady’s declare emerged, and the Austrian primarily based group launched an inquiry with an impartial KC.

Team principal Horner was cleared however then. 24 hours later the scandal gained recent impetus after the texts had been leaked in an nameless e-mail to F1 correspondents.

Geri – previously Ginger Spice – was stated to have been left in tears when the scandal broke however stood by her husband and held fingers with him on the Bahrain GP final week.

Last week Verstappen snr pointedly left Horner off the visitor listing for his 52nd party which was held at a luxurious Dubai lodge with Max there and senior figures from purple Bull together with racing director Helmut Marko.

Verstappen snr has reportedly been mates with the lady for a number of years and so they had been even stated to have been pictured collectively on a yacht in Abu Dhabi in November 2021 after Red Bull’s victory there.

In his pre race press convention Max defended his dad over Horner and stated:’ He’s not a liar,’ elevating the stress between the 2 males even additional.

Max stated:’ I believe from how I do know him after all, from after I was already in go karting, he is at all times very outspoken. He’s not a liar, that is for certain. My dad and I are very shut. We name each day.’