Jos Verstappen has spoken for the first time since a Red Bull employee was suspended in the Christian Horner Red Bull saga and gave her his backing.
Formula 1 boss Horner, 50, who is married to former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, 51, was accused last month of “inappropriate behaviour” with the unnamed woman, but was later cleared in a investigation.
The university graduate is a colleague of the Red Bull team principal and after he was cleared, she was suspended earlier this week, with full pay due to the investigation.
Officials claimed it was because she had been “dishonest” but sources expressed surprise claiming she had been hanged while Horner kept her £8million-a-year job.
But the woman has now won the backing of former Grand Prix ace Verstappen Sr., 52, who is the father of current world champion Max Verstappen, Red Bull’s top driver.
Speaking exclusively to MailOnline while taking part in the Hannut Rally in Belgium, he said: “I sympathize with the woman, with everything that happened, but we will see what happens.”
Jos Verstappen (pictured) has spoken for the first time since a Red Bull employee was suspended in the Christian Horner Red Bull saga.
Christian Horner, 50 (pictured), was accused of “inappropriate behavior” last month with the unidentified woman.
The woman gained the backing of former Grand Prix ace Verstappen Sr, 52, who is the father of current world champion Max Verstappen (left, pictured with Horner).
Horner talks to Jos Verstappen before practice ahead of the F1 Bahrain Grand Prix at the Bahrain International Circuit on February 29.
Horner is married to Spice Girl Geri Halliwell (pictured), who has shown public support for her husband.
The woman was suspended after embarrassing text messages allegedly between the woman and Horner were leaked.
When asked if it was time to “draw a line” at the situation, as Horner said in his press conference in Saudi Arabia before this weekend’s race, Verstappen Sr. was dismissive.
He said, “I think it’s a little late for that.” If that’s what she wants, that’s fine, but I don’t think it’s possible. I don’t want to talk much more because it will create problems.
“But the most important thing for me is that Max is happy, that’s what counts for me, I just want him to be happy.”
Rumors have circulated on the F1 circuit that it was Verstappen Sr. who leaked incriminating text messages between the woman and Horner last month.
And there have even been suggestions that he is involved with her, but he has denied any such involvement.
Asked again about her fate, Verstappen Sr., who was driving a Skoda in the rally, said: “It looks like Red Bull knows what they are doing with her, we’ll see.” But I think it’s up to her to get out of it and see what happens.
“I’m not totally aware of what’s going on with her.”
He added: “But all these things that are happening are influencing Max.
“He was third in the first practice, and all we hear is about Horner and what happened with his situation.
‘At the press conference Horner gave the other day, it was all about him and his problems, when we should be talking about Max, the car, his performance and the race.
“I’ve already said that I think there will be problems if he stays.”
Verstappen Sr added: “I think it’s too late for Christian to say ‘leave me alone’, but he has the support of the Thai owner so I think he will stay for the rest of the season.”
“I said it would be bad if he stayed, it’s really not good for the team, this whole situation.”
The woman was suspended after embarrassing text messages allegedly between the woman and Horner were leaked.
Verstappen Sr., 52, is the father of current world champion Max Verstappen (pictured)
Christian Horner talks to Max Verstappen ahead of the F1 Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
Christian Horner smiles in the pits during qualifying for the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix
After last weekend’s race in Bahrain, Verstappen Sr. and Horner were photographed talking animatedly in a motorhome.
But Verstappen Sr. laughed off any suggestion of a fight, saying: “That was earlier, on Friday, before the race.”
“He was telling me: ‘Do you trust me? I will do everything for your son’ and we were talking with our hands, we didn’t fight.
“But on Friday we had an argument in the office and I left, but, in the trailer, he came up to me and said, ‘Congratulations, good race.'”
Verstappen Sr. carved out a career in F1 between 1994 and 2003, winning two podiums before later moving into rally driving.
He told MailOnline: “There are fewer problems in rallying than in Formula 1, there aren’t as many controversies, it’s more fun.”
Verstappen Sr. was happy to be photographed and signed autographs for the crowd at the Hannut Rally, where he arrived in a VW Golf.
His team of three mechanics tended to his car while he relaxed in the team trailer parked nearby.
Sponsored by Red Bull and a private jet company, Verstappen snr appeared in a different league to the other teams competing in terms of equipment and support.
He will take part in a rally this weekend and next in Belgium before traveling to Melbourne for the Australian GP on March 24, joining his son Max on a private jet for the trip.
Controversy erupted last month at Red Bull when details of the woman’s claim emerged, and the Austria-based team launched an investigation with an independent KC.
Team manager Horner was acquitted at the time. 24 hours later, the scandal gained new momentum after the texts were leaked in an anonymous email to F1 correspondents.
Geri, formerly Ginger Spice, is said to have been left in tears when the scandal broke, but she supported her husband and held his hand at the Bahrain GP last week.
Jos Verstappen made history by winning two world championships at the young age of 25.
Rumors have circulated on the F1 circuit that it was Verstappen Sr. who leaked incriminating text messages between the woman and Horner last month.
Last week, Verstappen Sr. deliberately left Horner off the guest list for his 52nd birthday party.
Last week, Verstappen senior deliberately left Horner off the guest list for his 52nd birthday party which was held at a luxury Dubai hotel with Max there and senior Red Bull figures including racing director Helmut Marko. .
Verstappen Sr. has reportedly been friends with the woman for several years and is even said to have been photographed together on a yacht in Abu Dhabi in November 2021 after Red Bull’s victory there.
In his pre-race press conference, Max defended his father to Horner and said, “He’s not a liar,” further increasing the tension between the two men.
Max said: “I think the way I know him, of course, since he was already karting, he’s always very frank.” He’s not a liar, that’s for sure. My dad and I are very close. We call every day.’