FIA president asked Max Verstappen to publicly back under-fire Christian Horner
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem reportedly approached Max Verstappen amid the controversy surrounding Red Bull's Chr𝓰istian Horner.
FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem asked168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: Max Verstappen to back Red Bull team principal Christian Honer publicly during the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix weekend.
Red Bull’s three-t𝓰ime world champion Verstappen was seen in discussion with the president of F1’s governing body after he claimed pole position in qualifying on Friday night.
Ben Sulayem reportedly told Verstappen “You must publicly baꦆck Christian.”, ac📖cording to the .
On Sunday Dutch publicat🌠ion De Telegraaf was the first to report Ben Sulayem’s request to Verstappen, and BBC Sport says it has independently verified th♚e story.
Verstappen ꦐwent on to only give qualified support to Horner when he was grilled about his under-fire team boss during the press conference that followed qualifying.
The Dutchman was repeatedly asked whether he had full faith in Horner’s leadership of Red Bull and said: "Fro🧔m the performance side of things, you can't even question that. So that's what I'm also dealing with."
A complaint of inappropriate behaviour against Horner was dismissed on Wednesday but 24 hours later an anonymous email including WhatsApp messages purporting to involve the 50-year-old wಞere leaked.
Horner, who has repeat👍edly denied the allegations made against him, refused to comment on what he said were “anonymous, 🌺speculative messages from an unknown source.”
The controversy escalate💮d after th𝕴e Bahrain Grand Prix when Jos Verstappen, Max’s father, spoke out against Horner.
Ve꧒rstappen Sr denied he was behind the email le𓂃ak and told the Daily Mail that Red Bull would “explode” if Horner remained in position.
"The team is in danger of being torn apart,” he added. “It can't go on the way it is. It will explode. He is playing the victim, when he is the 🍃one causing the problems."
Verstappen has report🍌edly told friends that his son could be forced to leave Red Bull if the Horner situation isn’t resolved.
Verstappen Sr was spot💙ted deep in conversation with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff in the Bahrain paddock and there were rumours of a dinner meeting between the pair on Friday night.
This has led to frenzied speculation that Mercedes could be trying to line up the reigning world champion as a replacement for168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史: Lewis Hamilton, who is joining Ferrari next year.
Lewis regularly attends Gran🐓ds Prix for ltxcn.top aroun🌜d the world. Often reporting on the action from the ground, Lewis tells the stories of the people who matter in the sport.
