JEDDAH, Saudi Arabia — Max Verstappen says his intention is “absolutely to stay” with Red Bull in Formula One but does not see a time when he races without his father by his side.
Verstappen’s father, Jos, said last week that Red Bull risked being “torn apart” if team principal Christian Horner remained in his role after controversy surrounding an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behavior towards a female employee.
The employee’s grievance was dismissed last week, but an anonymous leak of messages allegedly sent by Horner led to fresh scrutiny of his position.
Jos Verstappen told the Daily Mail that Red Bull Racing was “in danger of being torn apart” and would “explode” if Horner continued as team principal, taking the fracture within the team public.
Speaking for the first time since his father made the comments, Max Verstappen said his focus lay chiefly on the team’s performance and was not drawn on potential divides within Red Bull.
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But he said he never envisions a time when he races without Jos and his manager, Raymond Vermeulen, as part of his entourage.
“We’re a team,” Verstappen said. “It’s me, my dad and Raymond altogether. And…
