Max Verstappen has called for “peace” within the Red Bull team as the reigning F1 champions find themselves embroiled in controversy at the beginning of the season.
On the track, things could not be going better for the team. Successive 1-2 finishes in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia sees them pick up where they left off last season at the pinnacle of the sport.
Yet away from the action, the six-time constructors’ champions have endured a bumpy start to the year.
Allegations of inappropriate behaviour surfaced last month against the Red Bull team principal, Christian Horner.
Those complaints were later dismissed following an internal investigation, but the following day an anonymous email was sent to journalists claiming to include screenshots of communications from WhatsApp exchanges purportedly between Horner and the accuser.
It has since been reported that senior Red Bull advisor, Helmut Marko, is allegedly facing suspension pending the outcome of a separate internal investigation – rumoured to be related to the leaking of information surrounding the Horner allegations.
Max Verstappen wants peace at Red Bull
Jos Verstappen, Max’s father, also created a stir after he publicly spoke out against Horner.
“There is tension here while he remains in position,” he told the Daily Mail. “The team is in danger of being torn apart.”
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Yet the 26-year-old three-time world champion has now called for all parties to unite and focus on the season ahead.
“I always said that what is most important is that we work together as a team and that everyone keeps the peace,” Verstappen said after the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix.
“And that’s what we, I think, all agree on within the team. So hopefully from now on, that is also fully the case.
“Everyone is trying to focus in the same direction. And I think the positive out of all this is that it didn’t hurt our performances. So it’s a very strong team.
“I think also mentally, what you can see from not only driver’s side, but also mechanics, engineers, everyone is there to do their job. And I think everyone, even when there is stuff going on or whatever, they’re just very focused on their job as they should be.”
Mercedes team principal, Toto Wolff, could be looking to take advantage of the unrest at Red Bull, after he made no secret of his admiration for Verstappen.
Wolff is looking to fill the seat of seven-time world champion, Lewis Hamilton, who is making the sensational move to Ferrari in 2025.
