Another public spat between Max Verstappen’s father and Red Bull team boss Christian Horner took the gloss off the star’s took pole position win for Saturday’s sprint race at the Austrian Grand Prix.
Verstappen got the edge — barely — over Lando Norris in sprint qualifying for Saturday’s sprint race, when eight points will be up for grabs for the winner. That compares to 25 points going to the grand prix winner on Sunday.
Verstappen turned in a blistering lap in the closing seconds that edged Norris by the tiny margin of 0.09 seconds. Norris’ McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri will start the sprint race from third behind the top two.
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Verstappen senior was back in the paddock for the first time since Bahrain, and team principal Christian Horner had earlier irked Verstappen senior who claimed he had been prevented from taking part in a Red Bull Legends Parade at the Red Bull ring circuit.
He said Horner had banned any filming, which led to Verstappen Sr pulling out of the event.
“How childish can you be,” he told Formule1.nl.
“There was going to be filming, for example, also with a drone, but Horner didn’t want me to be filmed.
“I’m completely finished with Horner. It’s like a kindergarten here. I would have been allowed to ride in the end, but I backed out. I find this so childish of Horner, but I think it says something about him.”
In response, Horner said: “Look, I’ve been made aware. The legends parade is something that is organised by the circuit and there was no veto from my side or anything like that.
“I’m sure the legends will be in action later.”
He added: “The relationship with Max has always been very good, very strong. He’s a key part of our team and he’s our driver – he’s the one that it’s important to have a strong relationship with.
“I’ve never had an issue with any of our drivers’ fathers in the past and whatever Jos’ issues are, I’ve really got nothing to comment on.”
Horner also took a shot at Mercedes chief Toto Wolff when asked why the rival team is still being linked to Verstappen despite the star confirming he’s going nowhere.
“That’s a question you would have to ask Toto. Max was pretty resolute in what he said and he’s been absolutely consistent with that in the team. I think it’s purely a tactic of distraction.
“If he does want a Verstappen for next year then, I guess, Jos is potentially available.”
Horner continued: “Max is an important part of our team. He’s had all of his victories and podiums in Red Bull cars and three world championships so far. He’s a crucial member of the team.
“Obviously a lot of noise has been made about him going elsewhere and sometimes one just thinks that’s a distraction tactic that’s thrown in — because you have to question what are the motives behind that?
“The driver that has created all the movement in the market (Hamilton) had all the information about the engines and 2026 regulations and so on and he chose to leave and left a vacancy at Mercedes.”
Verstappen cruised to a third consecutive world title last year by winning 19 of 23 races, while his Red Bull partner Sergio Pérez gobbled up another two, leaving just Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz as the only other driver to savor a victory.
Verstappen is still on top with seven wins in 10 races in 2024, but the field is giving him more of a fight.
Norris has emerged as his No. 1 challenger ever since the British driver recorded his first career victory in Miami in May. Verstappen started that race from pole but made a costly mistake when he hit a chicane and had to pit.
Norris finished second to Verstappen in Montreal three weeks ago and followed that with a very strong weekend at the Spanish GP last weekend. Norris beat Verstappen for pole position in qualifying, and lamented a poor start that he believed cost him a victory in Barcelona.
“McLaren at the moment are just very solid,” Verstappen said. “They’re good everywhere, every single track.
“Also I think you could see in Barcelona, they were very good on their tires. They could just push more on them compared to everyone else on the grid … Lando was definitely catching up a lot.”