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RED Bull chief Christian Horner should step down before the team is ripped apart by his sexting scandal, a former F1 star warned.
British racing legend Johnny Herbert told The Sun that “the Horner show” must end so the team can cling onto their true star, Max Verstappen.
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GettyThe ex-Sky Sports pundit, 59, said the storm engulfing Red Bull Racing in the wake of allegations of controlling behaviour made by a female staffer against Horner, 50, is impacting all of F1.
He said: “It’s not a good thing for F1 with the whole thing going on and the belated heat on it.”
Herbert, a three-time Grand Prix winner who raced in F1 between 1989 and 2000, argued: “It doesn’t help the situation for Red Bull who have the best driver in the world at the present time.
“And they’re very close to pushing [Max Verstappen] out off the team, I’ve heard they are getting quite close with the deal with Mercedes.
“It seems like a stupid thing to do, their biggest asset is not the Christian Horner show.”
He added that it would be “crazy” for the F1 chief to stay due to his “arrogance”.
The embattled Red Bull boss strongly denies all the allegations and was cleared of misconduct by an internal probe on February 28.
However, only 24 hours later a string of sexually suggestive texts between Horner and his female accuser were leaked – re-igniting the scandal.
Speaking to us via sports betting website Betideas.com, Herbert said: “It’s the impact, the possible destroying of the team and the success they have had.
“It’s not about the Christian Horner show, it’s about the Max Verstappen show as he is the one winning all these races and championships for Red Bull.”
The veteran driver – who is a long-term friend and former teammate of Michael Schumacher – believes it would be not be a wise move for Verstappen to abandon the Milton Keynes-based team.
Hebert said: “It would be crazy for Max to leave because of the situation…Jos [Verstappen] has said it will be very destructive and rip it apart and I think it’s gone on for far too long.
“In some respects, Christian should really think about it and step aside.”
What started as Horner’s personal controversy has morphed into an power struggle within Red Bull in recent weeks.
On Sunday, sources alleged that Horner has agreed to a “public ceasefire” with senior management after emergency crunch talks.
But the internal battles at the sports top constructor are set to end after Horner, Jos Verstappen and Helmut Marko seemingly agreed to stop their disputes, The Mirror reported.
Verstappen Sr, 52, had been publicly backing the suspended female employee and called for Horner to be axed, accusing him of ripping the team apart.
When asked if it was time to “draw a line” under the situation, as Horner insisted people do, Jos said: “I think it’s a bit too late for that now.
“If that’s what he wants, fine, but I don’t think it will be possible.”
As Hebert alluded to, there are rumblings in the Vertsappen camp that the reigning world champ could quit Red Bull in the foreseeable future.
Meanwhile, Helmut Marko, the team’s iconic senior adviser, has reportedly distanced himself from Horner since the allegations came to light.
The 80-year-old was even placed under investigation by Red Bull over issues related to the leaking of WhatsApp messages from an anonymous email relating to the Horner investigation.
But now the trio have now agreed to halt their squabbling for the benefit of the team as insiders feel the pre-season distractions are taking their toll.
Verstappen has been vocal in his admiration for mentor Marko and is thought to be loyal to him and his former racing driver dad no matter what.
It means that if Red Bull chooses to punish or abandon either man it could tear Red Bull apart by sparking Verstappen’s exit.
Despite the six-week saga, Horner has been putting forward a consistent business-as-usual front in his £8million-a-year role.
GettySCANDAL... LAP BY LAP
FEBRUARY 5: A Dutch newspaper reports a female Red Bull employee has made serious allegations of “inappropriate, controlling behaviour” about Horner to parent company Red Bull GmbH.
FEB 9: Horner is quizzed for nine hours by the lawyer hired by Red Bull to investigate.
FEB 15: He denies the allegations and says they are a distraction for the team.
FEB 15: F1 says it hopes the matter will be clarified at the earliest opportunity after a fair and thorough process.
FEB 26: Red Bull’s engine partner Ford says it is increasingly frustrated by the team’s handling of the complaint.
FEB 28: Horner is cleared of all wrongdoing. The employee is said to have the right of appeal.
FEB 29: Horner says he is pleased the investigation is over.
FEB 29: WhatsApp texts and pictures claimed to be between Horner and the employee are sent to journalists and F1.
MARCH 1: Horner refuses to comment on what he calls “anonymous speculation from unknown sources”.
MAR 2: Horner and wife Geri are pictured hand-in-hand, as Red Bull’s Max Verstappen wins the Bahrain Grand Prix. Horner says before the race: “It’s been very testing for my family but we are very strong and our focus is on this race.”
MAR 3: Verstappen’s dad Jos, claims Red Bull is in “danger of being torn apart” if Horner stays in the job. He denies being the source of the WhatsApp leak, saying: “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.”
MAR 6: Max Verstappen sides with his dad in the row.
MAR 7: Horner says he wants to draw a line under the scandal and hails Geri’s support — as Red Bull suspends the employee.
MAR 15: Horner’s accuser allegedly launches an appeal against the investigation that saw the Red Bull chief cleared.
MAR 16: The female employee lodges a complaint against Horner with the FIA.
MAR 17: Horner reportedly agrees to ‘public ceasefire’ with senior Red Bull Racing management to quell the drama
Verstappen and Marko are seen as close pals meaning if one of them leaves Red Bull they both could leaving the team in chaos
Jos Verstappen has been publicly calling for Horner to be axedThe latest
It comes as the woman who accused Horner of inappropriate behaviour has now lodged a complaint against him with the sport’s ruling body the FIA.
The unnamed woman, who has been suspended from her job at the team’s base in Milton Keynes, has now made three complaints over Horner’s conduct since the start of February, it is claimed.
On March 7, the woman was suspended on full pay from Red Bull HQ amid claims her “honesty was called into question.”
The reasons allegedly given to her were that she appeared dishonest owing to inconsistencies in the evidence she had provided.
At the Saudi Arabia Grand Prix, the F1 chief and his Ginger Spice wife Geri, 51, put on a united – if awkward – display.
Despite Geri’s very visual display of standing by her man, sources claim that the singer is “in turmoil”.
Speaking at the press conference, Horner said he was keen to “draw a line” under the scandal and that it was time to “focus on what is going on on track.”
The F1 season returns this week in Melbourne for the Australian GP and the off-track drama has done little to slow down the dominating Verstappen, who has both past races easily.
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