Christian Horner tells Max Verstappen he can depart in Red Bull bombshell
Christian Horner has instructed three-time reigning Formula One champion Max Verstappen that he can depart Red Bull if he needs.
The bombshell on Saturday (March 9) has rocked the racing world and has come after the Dutchman was victorious on the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix in his second consecutive win of the season. Despite his – and Red Bull’s – persevering with success, drama continues to plague the group with Horner’s beautiful message to Verstappen the most recent spectacle.
It comes simply 10 days after the 50-year-old was cleared of controlling behaviour in the direction of a feminine colleague. But after Verstappen’s father, Jos, mentioned it was “too late” for Horner to attract a line underneath the state of affairs, Horner is seemingly open to permitting one of the best driver on the planet depart.
READ MORE: Geri Halliwell ‘clothes as Princess Leia’ in contemporary present of assist to Christian Horner
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Speaking after the 26-year-old gained the Saudi GP, Horner mentioned: “You can’t force somebody to be somewhere just because of a piece of paper. If somebody didn’t want to be at this team, then you know, we’re not going to force somebody against their will to be here.
“That applies whether or not it is a machine operator or a designer or any individual in one of many assist features, that runs by the enterprise. Being concerned in a group like this includes dedication and fervour. And Max has that, we have seen that.
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(Image: Getty Images)
“He’s been here since he was 18 years of age. And I have no doubt that his commitment and passion. But no individual is bigger than the team. We have a phenomenal car. We’ve got one seat open for next year. I probably got 16 drivers that are desperate to be in that car for next year.”
Following Horner’s shocking feedback, Mercedes group principal Toto Wolff admitted that he’d welcome Verstappen to the group with open arms amid rumours he might find yourself changing the Ferrari-bound Lewis Hamilton.
He mentioned: “I’d love to have him. I think this is a decision that Max needs to take and there is no team up and down the grid that wouldn’t do handstands to have him in the car.”
(Image: Getty Images)
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Despite the success Verstappen and Horner have loved collectively, the Red Bull Racing chief insisted that he wouldn’t drive him to remain if he wished to go away. “You can never say never. If a driver doesn’t want to be somewhere, then they’ll go somewhere else,” he mentioned after being requested if he feared dropping the three-time champion.
“But as a team, I can’t see any reason why anybody would want to step out of this team. I think he’s got a great support around him. And he’s doing a wonderful job with a great car. We’re focused on winning, and that’s what we do. That’s what we’ve done today. That’s how we’ve started this season.
(Image: Formula 1 through Getty Images)
“Obviously, I’m aware of all that noise, but it hasn’t distracted the team from the job and we are one team now obviously. We all have a common interest, which is the performance of the team and that is what comes first for every single member who has a role to play in the team.
“But if a person would not need to be on the group, we do not drive folks to be right here. People are right here and so they work on this sport and this group as a result of they need to be right here, as a result of they’re enthusiastic about what they do.”
