Red Bull Driver Max Verstappen, who’s amongst F1’s top drivers, defended Christian Horner’s racing track record on Friday amid a scandal that’s centered on alleged messages the Red Bull Racing principal sent to a female worker.
Horner was cleared this week during a misconduct probe but has been at the middle of the news since Thursday after alleged scandalous texts to the worker were leaked to just about 200 people — including journalists.
Among the many alleged messages to the worker, who reportedly works at Red Bull Racing headquarters in Milton Keynes, England, included comments in regards to the woman stretching her legs open and Spanx, in keeping with The Sun.
Verstappen, who has 54 victories in his profession, was asked ahead of Saturday’s Bahrain Grand Prix if he’d proceed to back the leadership of Horner.
The 26-year-old racer called Horner “incredible” as a pacesetter of the racing group.
“Listen, after I have a look at how Christian operates throughout the team, he has been an incredible team boss, so absolutely, from the performance side of things, you’ll be able to’t even query that,” he said, in keeping with ESPN.
Verstappen added he is concentrated on the “performance side of things.”
“In order that’s what I’m also coping with. I speak to Christian so much, and likewise throughout the weekend here, he’s fully committed to the team, he’s also here for the performance. After all probably a bit of bit distracted.
“But like I said before, we just deal with the performance side of things, and that’s how all of us work together.”
Verstappen, who has won the last three consecutive F1 championships — and has a sensible shot at a fourth — added that the team is just focused on winning, despite the recent news.
“From my side, and I feel what I can see also from the mechanics and the engineers, we’re fully focused on the automotive and the performance here throughout the weekend,” he said. “And that’s the way it needs to be, I feel, and that’s what we proceed to do, since it’s not our business, we’re not particularly involved in that.
“And we’re here, we’re paid to do our job, and that’s what we’re doing and that’s also what we love doing. In order that’s what we deal with.”
The 50-year-old Horner, who’s married to former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, has denied the allegations against him.
“I won’t comment on anonymous speculation, but to reiterate, I actually have at all times denied the allegations,” Horner said Thursday in a press release.
“I respected the integrity of the independent investigation and fully cooperated with it every step of the way in which. It was an intensive and fair investigation conducted by an independent specialist barrister and it has concluded, dismissing the criticism made. I remain fully focused on the beginning of the season.”
In keeping with ESPN, Horner worked as usual on Friday, overseeing Red Bull’s qualifying for the grand prix.