Christian Horner breaks cover amid Red Bull feud rumours after displaying united front with Geri Halliwell in Bahrain
7 March 2024, 11:13 | Updated: 7 March 2024, 11:19
Christian Horner's future at Red Bull is looking increasingly uncertain as he broke cover in Saudi Arabia, with former Formula 1 driver Ralf Schumacher the latest pundit to weigh in on the subject.
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‘If Christian Horner stays at Red Bull, Max Verstappen leaves,’ Schumacher told German media following a string of allegations that have marred the World Championship-winning racing team.
The 50-year-old Red Bull team principal's future remains in the balance as he put on a unified front with wife and former Spice Girl Gerri Halliwell in the paddock at Saturday's Bahrain Grand Prix.
The RB boss has since broken cover in Jeddah, ahead of Saturday's second race of the season in Saudi Arabia.
It follows a 'bombshell' report into accusations of coercive behaviour by Horner in relation to a female Red Bull employee, with a fresh slurry of allegations surfacing following the publication of a 19-page investigation that named his accuser.
"If Christian Horner holds on to his seat with all his might," Schumacher told Austrian news outlet Kronen Zeitung.
"He will not only damage Red Bull, he will also ensure that Max Verstappen leaves the team."
The situation has led to tension between the Red Bull boss and the team's star driver Max Verstappen.
Horner was photographed arguing with Jos Verstappen days after a file allegedly containing Horner's photos and WhatsApp messages was leaked to the media from an anonymous email account.
Now, Ralf Schumacher, brother of the seven-time World Champion Michael Schumacher, has weighed in on the matter.
The driver was pictured speaking with Jos while working for German television at the Bahrain International Circuit, in Sakhir, on Saturday.
"In my opinion, they are already in negotiations," Schumacher said.
"That's plan B if all this fails. The person after Verstappen is Adrian Newey.
"He is also a person who benefits from good peace within the team. He will not do this to himself for the long term," the former F1 driver added.
Read more: Geri Halliwell's husband Christian Horner breaks silence over 'inappropriate behaviour' allegations
The youngest Schumacher raced for a host of teams including McLaren and Williams over the course of his decade-long F1 career.
It comes as Max Verstappen spoke out to defend his father, highlighting he was "not a liar" in the wake of claims that the controversy surrounding the RB boss was "driving people apart".
It follows comments from Jos Verstappen last weekend that the situation was "not good for the team".
The driver told Sky Germany: "The danger is that some parties now want to leave and look for other options. New teams, new targets. Horner has to draw his conclusions from this.
"When you see how everyone is against him, his position is no longer tenable. He should resign in the interest of the team," the German added.
"In my opinion, they are already in negotiations."
Following the incident, Mr Horner said that he would not comment on "anonymous speculation", although he did not deny that the texts were authentic.
