Christian Horner latest news: FIA president asks Max Verstappen to back Horner at Bahrain Grand Prix

The Red Bull crew principal was pictured in Bahrain along with his spouse Geri Horner on Saturday (2 March) forward of the primary race of the 2024 F1 season.

It got here after tons of of WhatsApp messages allegedly written by him to a feminine colleague have been leaked.

Horner advised the written press on Saturday evening: “I’m not going to touch upon nameless speculative messages from an unknown supply. I’m not going to touch upon what motives no matter particular person might have for doing this.

“Obviously, it has not been nice with among the undesirable consideration, however the focus may be very a lot on the automobiles and my focus has been on what is occurring on monitor and the consequence at the moment demonstrates the place the main target is and we transfer onwards.

“There was a full, prolonged inner course of that was accomplished by an impartial KC and the grievance that was raised was dismissed. End of. Move on. You may see what it (the win) meant to the entire crew. It is healthier to do your speaking on the monitor.

“I’ve all the time been completely assured that I’d be right here and my focus is on the season, and the races we’ve forward.”

Formula One’s crisis-hit Red Bull crew says it stays “united” after Max Verstappen’s father, Jos, claimed they’re “in danger of being torn apart” if Christian Horner stays in his position.

A Red Bull Racing spokesperson advised the PA information company on Sunday: “There are no issues here. The team are united and we are focused on racing.”

Speaking to the Daily Mail newspaper after Saturday’s Bahrain Grand Prix, Verstappen Snr mentioned: “There is rigidity right here whereas he (Horner) stays in place.

“The crew is in peril of being torn aside. It can’t go on the best way it’s. It will explode. He is taking part in the sufferer, when he’s the one inflicting the issues.”

Max Verstappen delivered for Christian Horner’s crisis-hit Red Bull crew by successful the opening race of the Formula One season in Bahrain on Saturday.

The build-up to the primary spherical of the marketing campaign right here within the Gulf Kingdom has completely been overshadowed by allegations whirling round Red Bull crew principal Horner.

But Horner, who was joined by his spouse Geri in a present of unity forward of Saturday’s 57-lap race, can take non permanent reduction from seeing Verstappen lead a Red Bull one-two, with Sergio Perez second.

Horner, who back in 2021 signed a contract extension at Red Bull till 2026, was made a CBE within the New Year’s Honours record for providers to motorsport, having beforehand obtained an OBE in 2013.

He has been in command of Red Bull for six constructors’ championship victories and 7 drivers’ championship triumphs – three for Verstappen and 4 for Sebastian Vettel.

Red Bull gained 21 out of 22 races in 2023 of their most profitable yr thus far in Formula 1, with Verstappen storming to his third-straight championship.

FIA president Mohammad Ben Sulayem has requested Red Bull’s star man Max Verstappen to come out and publicly back Christian Horner.

The pair spoke after qualifying at the Bahrain Grand Prix on Friday following an earlier assembly between Horner and the FIA president.

The three-time world champion, who took pole and went on to win the race in Bahrain, was seen in dialogue with Ben Sulayem and the Daily Mail are reporting that the president advised Verstappen: ‘You must publicly back Christian.’

Another supply apparantly revealed that Verstappen wasn’t completely satisfied by the recommendation.

Speaking to media on the paddock, Horner mentioned earlier than the race: “It’s been very testing for my household however we’re very sturdy as a household and our focus is on this race.

“It’s the beginning of the season, and the crew have accomplished an unbelievable job over the winter to be beginning on pole place in the very best place potential, so let’s see what we will do within the race.

“We are right here to go racing and that’s my job. So that is what we’re targeted on and that is what we’re right here to do.”

When requested after the race if the Red Bull crew have been united, Horner advised Sky Sports: “Yes absolutely. We’re a very strong team, tremendous support and partners, great shareholders. You don’t achieve this type of result without this support.”

Questioned additional on whether or not he could be in his position at the following race in seven days in Saudi Arabia, Horner replied: “Yeah completely, I wouldn’t be right here in any other case.

On Sunday Dutch publication the Telegraaf reported that Max Verstappen had been requested by Mohammed Ben Sulayem, the president of F1’s governing physique the FIA, to back Christian Horner publicly.

BBC Sport verified the story and the FIA have been approached for additional remark.

Verstappen was requested 4 instances within the lead-up to the Bahrain Grand Prix whether or not he had full religion and confidence in Red Bull’s crew principal and selected to deal with Horner’s affect on the crew.

The 26-year-old mentioned: “Listen, after I look at how Christian operates inside the crew, he has been an unbelievable crew boss. So completely, from the efficiency aspect of issues, you possibly can’t even query that. So that’s what I’m additionally coping with.

“I communicate to Christian loads, and in addition all through the weekend right here. He’s absolutely dedicated to the crew. He’s additionally right here for the efficiency. Of course most likely somewhat bit distracted. But like I mentioned earlier than, we simply deal with the efficiency aspect of issues and that’s how all of us work collectively.”

In a fashion so unashamedly ebullient that no double-take was wanted on the orator, Jeremy Clarkson took the lead in dialog with Martin Brundle on the Bahrain Grand Prix grid, forward of the season-opening F1 race. Equally, in his regular forthright method, the previous Top Gear presenter was this time bang on the mark along with his early evaluation of the 2024 marketing campaign.

“I’ve spent all of today looking at the lap times – this is how boring I am – from last year to this year,” mentioned Clarkson. “And I’m questioning, what have all of them been doing over the winter?

“The gaps by and enormous are the identical. McLaren have gotten loads higher, a lot nearer to Max. Lewis is an anomaly. It’s an odd factor to go from one yr to the following and for therefore little to have modified.”

He’s proper. Max Verstappen gained final yr’s Bahrain Grand Prix with ease, 11 seconds away from his Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez. This yr, regardless of the high-profile disaster engulfing crew principal Christian Horner, Verstappen was much more dominant, victorious at a canter with a bonus of 22 seconds once more forward of Perez.

More Horner remark and response to come – right here’s Kieran Jackson’s evaluation of the primary F1 race of the season this previous weekend:

Mercedes boss Toto Wolff has urged Formula One and its governing physique to “set the compass right” amid continued controversy surrounding Christian Horner.

Horner was earlier this week cleared to proceed as Red Bull crew principal following an inner probe into “inappropriate behaviour” in the direction of a feminine colleague.

But the 50-year-old confronted subsequent scrutiny after a sequence of leaked WhatsApp messages – showing to be exchanged between him and his complainant – have been leaked to all the most important gamers within the sport.

FIA president Mohammed ben Sulayem advised the Financial Times on Friday that the turmoil is “damaging the sport on a human level”. F1 chief government Stefano Domenicali has not commented on the matter.