Jos Verstappen, right, with Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner during the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend. Getty Images
Jos Verstappen, right, with Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner during the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend. Getty Images
Jos Verstappen, right, with Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner during the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend. Getty Images
Jos Verstappen, right, with Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner during the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend. Getty Images

Jos Verstappen: Red Bull could 'explode' if Christian Horner stays as principal


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The Red Bull Formula One team is at risk of “exploding” if under-fire Christian Horner stays on as team principal, said Jos Verstappen, the father of three-time champion Max Verstappen.

In the lead-up to the new season and at the opening race in Bahrain last weekend, the spotlight has been almost entirely on Horner over his alleged behaviour towards a team employee.

The saga had little impact on Red Bull's performance on the track as Verstappen stormed to victory, with teammate Sergio Perez taking second place, more than 22 seconds behind the Dutchman.

“There is tension here while he remains in position,” Verstappen Sr told the Daily Mail after his son won Saturday's season-opening race in Manama. “The team is in danger of being torn apart. It can't go on the way it is. It will explode. He [Horner] is playing the victim, when he is the one causing the problems.”

On Wednesday, the team’s parent company dismissed a complaint of alleged misconduct by Horner towards a team employee.

A day later, during practice for the Bahrain Grand Prix, a file alleged to contain evidence against Horner was emailed to nearly 200 people in the F1 paddock, including Liberty Media, F1, the FIA, the other nine team principals and multiple media outlets.

The authenticity of the file, which was sent from a generic email account, has not been verified.

Jos Verstappen, a former F1 driver who was Michael Schumacher’s teammate when they raced at Benetton, has been pointed to as a potential source of the file by some F1 insiders but he firmly denied it.

“That wouldn't make sense,” the 51-year-old Dutchman said. “Why would I do that when Max is doing so well here?”

  • Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Red Bull Racing celebrates on the podium after winning the Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit on March 2, 2024. Getty Images
    Race winner Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Red Bull Racing celebrates on the podium after winning the Bahrain Grand Prix at Bahrain International Circuit on March 2, 2024. Getty Images
  • Race winner Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing celebrates after his victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix. Getty Images
    Race winner Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing celebrates after his victory in the Bahrain Grand Prix. Getty Images
  • Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen takes the chequered flag at Bahrain International Circuit. EPA
    Red Bull Racing driver Max Verstappen takes the chequered flag at Bahrain International Circuit. EPA
  • Red Bull team principal Christian Horner with his wife Geri after Max Verstappen's victory. PA
    Red Bull team principal Christian Horner with his wife Geri after Max Verstappen's victory. PA
  • Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing makes a pit stop. Getty Images
    Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing makes a pit stop. Getty Images
  • Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing leads Charles Leclerc of Ferrari. Getty Images
    Max Verstappen of Red Bull Racing leads Charles Leclerc of Ferrari. Getty Images
  • George Russell of Mercedes and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari battle. Getty Images
    George Russell of Mercedes and Charles Leclerc of Ferrari battle. Getty Images
  • Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen leads the pack at the start of the race. EPA
    Red Bull Racing's Max Verstappen leads the pack at the start of the race. EPA
  • Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner before the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix. AFP
    Red Bull Racing team principal Christian Horner before the start of the Bahrain Grand Prix. AFP

Horner has denied wrongdoing and said in a statement issued on Thursday that he would not “comment on anonymous speculation” concerning the file.

Reacting to the controversy, the president of Formula One’s governing body told the Financial Times that the controversy around Horner is damaging the sport.

FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem said any complaint lodged with its compliance officer would be investigated but it had not received one related to Horner’s situation.

“It’s damaging the sport,” Ben Sulayem told the newspaper, which added that he was speaking on Friday after a meeting with Horner. “This is damaging on a human level.”

Gulf Under 19s final

Dubai College A 50-12 Dubai College B

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The specs

Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors

Power: Combined output 920hp

Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic

Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km

On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025

Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000

Specs

Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric

Range: Up to 610km

Power: 905hp

Torque: 985Nm

Price: From Dh439,000

Available: Now

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

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At Eternity’s Gate

Director: Julian Schnabel

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Islamophobia definition

A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.

Dunbar
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Hogarth

Results:

5pm: Abu Dhabi Fillies Classic (PA) Prestige Dh 110,000 1.400m | Winner: AF Mouthirah, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)

5.30pm: Abu Dhabi Colts Classic (PA) Prestige Dh 110,000 1,400m | Winner: AF Saab, Antonio Fresu, Ernst Oertel

6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 80,000 1,600m | Winner: Majd Al Gharbia, Saif Al Balushi, Ridha ben Attia

6.30pm: Abu Dhabi Championship (PA) Listed Dh 180,000 1,600m | Winner: RB Money To Burn, Pat Cosgrave, Eric Lemartinel

7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup (PA) Handicap Dh 70,000 2,200m | Winner: AF Kafu, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel

7.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh 100,000 2,400m | Winner: Brass Ring, Fabrice Veron, Ismail Mohammed

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Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

UK’s AI plan
  • AI ambassadors such as MIT economist Simon Johnson, Monzo cofounder Tom Blomfield and Google DeepMind’s Raia Hadsell
  • £10bn AI growth zone in South Wales to create 5,000 jobs
  • £100m of government support for startups building AI hardware products
  • £250m to train new AI models
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'Panga'

Directed by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari

Starring Kangana Ranaut, Richa Chadha, Jassie Gill, Yagya Bhasin, Neena Gupta

Rating: 3.5/5

SPECS
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Tamkeen's offering
  • Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
  • Option 2: 50% across three years
  • Option 3: 30% across five years 
THE SPECS

      

 

Engine: 1.5-litre

 

Transmission: 6-speed automatic

 

Power: 110 horsepower 

 

Torque: 147Nm 

 

Price: From Dh59,700 

 

On sale: now  

 
The bio

Job: Coder, website designer and chief executive, Trinet solutions

School: Year 8 pupil at Elite English School in Abu Hail, Deira

Role Models: Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk

Dream City: San Francisco

Hometown: Dubai

City of birth: Thiruvilla, Kerala

Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

Pari

Produced by: Clean Slate Films (Anushka Sharma, Karnesh Sharma) & KriArj Entertainment

Director: Prosit Roy

Starring: Anushka Sharma, Parambrata Chattopadhyay, Ritabhari Chakraborty, Rajat Kapoor, Mansi Multani

Three stars

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Updated: March 04, 2024, 11:26 AM