Verstappen ‘trusting the process’ as Horner decision looms

Max Verstappen acknowledged that Christian Horner is “very important” to Red Bull Racing but that he trusts in the investigatory process that’s ongoing into the team principal’s behavior.

Horner is alleged to have shown inappropriate behavior towards a colleague, with Red Bull GmbH — the overall owner of Red Bull Racing — launching an independent investigation as a result. Horner has continued to work in his role during the past few weeks, but indicators are that an outcome will be announced before this weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix, and Verstappen admits any potential change in management would have an impact over a longer-term period.

“I think he’s very important, otherwise he wouldn’t be in that position right for such a long time,” Verstappen said. “Let’s say if your team boss disappears for whatever reason for one or two races, not much is going to happen, because everyone is in their role and they know what they have to do in the short term, but it’s all about people management over time. And then of course things will start to be different, if one of the leaders starts to not be there any more.

“But we are not thinking like that. We just trust the process that we are in as a team of course, to see what the outcome will be. Besides that, at the moment, everyone is just very focused on the performance here at the track, and everyone is in a good mood and just excited to get going again.”

Verstappen insists he is not impacted by the uncertainty surrounding his team principal, who is understood to be traveling to Bahrain on Wednesday ahead of the season opener.

“It doesn’t . I’m very focused on just the performance of the car, myself, and hopefully it will just be resolved very soon,” he said.

“It’s a whole team effort; everyone has to stick together, and work towards more success. That’s why it’s important of course to get everything resolved very soon.

“I’m trusting the process, that’s what’s happening right now. When you talk about performance, it’s of course very important that everyone sticks together.”

Following comments from Mercedes principal Toto Wolff about what Horner’s ongoing public role says about Formula 1’s attitudes towards such allegations, Lewis Hamilton said the outcome will have a knock-on impact within the sport.

“I think it’s a difficult one to answer, naturally,” Hamilton said. “I think we always have to do more to try to make the sport and the environment and people work in feel safe and inclusive, and any allegations have to be taken very seriously.

“Obviously we don’t know everything that’s gone on. But it does need to be resolved as it’s hanging over the sport, and it’ll be really interesting to see how it’s dealt with moving forward in terms of the effect it may or may not have on the sport moving forwards. I think it’s a really important moment for the sport to make sure that we stand true to our values.”