FIA boss asks Max Verstappen to publicly back his team boss Christian Horner - Reports

Defending champion Max Verstappen has been asked by the FIA president Mohammed bin Sulayem to show public support to his team principal Christian Horner, per reports from BBC.

Controversy has marred Red Bull Racing's silly season. As the Austrian outfit's team principal Horner found himself accused of inappropriate behavior by a female staff within the organization, uncertainty loomed over his continuity with the team.

While Horner was cleared of the accusations days before the 2024 season-opener Bahrain Grand Prix, new reports surfaced online, revealing a series of intimate text messages allegedly sent by the Briton. The latest leaks have once again put his public image in jeopardy.

Amid the helter-skelter, the Dutch newspaper Telegraaf reported that Red Bull Racing driver and three-time World Champion Max Verstappen was asked by FIA president Mohammed Ben Sulayem to back his boss Christian Horner publicly.

The report, which surfaced on Sunday, a day after the Bahrain Grand Prix, was confirmed by BBC Sport. According to the report, the request came after Verstappen offered only qualified support to Horner when questioned multiple times before the Bahrain Grand Prix about his confidence in the team principal.

The FIA was approached for comment throughout the Bahrain Grand Prix weekend, where the sport's governing body reiterated its engagement with F1 management regarding the allegations against Horner.

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Max Verstappen's father Jos bashes Christian Horner's continuity at Red Bull

While the 26-year-old has reportedly been asked to show public support to Horner, his father Jos Verstappen was publicly critical of the Briton's continued stay within the Red Bull camp.

Expressing concerns about the team's cohesion under his management, Jos spoke to the British tabloid Daily Mail, where he voiced his apprehensions, saying:

"There is tension here while he remains in position. The team is in danger of being torn apart. 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."

His claims came shortly after Max Verstappen won the season opener in Bahrain in a commanding fashion. The Dutchman, who started in the pole position, crossed the finish line 22.457s ahead of his second-placed teammate Sergio Perez.