Accepting that the investigation into Christian Horner’s alleged behaviour has been “difficult” for his family, Ralf Schumacher says “but it all came from him”.
Despite being cleared by Red Bull’s parent company in Salzburg after an employee lodged a grievance that triggered an internal investigation, Horner has found no respite from the saga.
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From a leaked email claiming to contain information relating to the investigation to his star driver Max Verstappen’s father Jos telling two newspapers Horner has to go, there doesn’t seem to be an end in sight.
The 50-year-old was grilled by the media during the team principal press conference at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix weekend where the words “confidential”, “private” and “time really is now to move on” were said.
And in the midst of it all, the team boss spoke of how difficult the public scrutiny has been for his family.
“Look, it’s obviously been a very trying period. I’m married and have three children and when that intrusion includes your children and the scrutiny that is placed on my marriage,” he said.
“I’m very fortunate that I have a beautiful family and a very supportive wife. I’m the only one that has been named in this so of course, it’s, it’s very trying, it’s very challenging.
“Because when there’s children involved, when there’s families, parents, etc, involved, it’s not pretty.”
He added: “As far as I’m concerned, as far as Red Bull is concerned, we move on and we look to the future.
“And you know, my wife has been phenomenally supportive throughout this, as has my family, but the intrusion on my family is now enough.”
But telling Sky Deutschland that Horner is “playing the role of victim here”, Schumacher says the team boss brought this on himself.
“I understand that this is difficult for his family, but it all came from him,” F1-Insider quotes him as having told Sky. “Formula 1 and Red Bull stand for values and if something like that happens, it should be cleared up.”
Schumacher’s comments come just days after the former F1 driver warned Red Bull they risk losing Max Verstappen to Mercedes if they don’t sack Horner.
“If Christian Horner holds on to his seat with all his might, he will not only damage Red Bull, he will also ensure that Max Verstappen leaves the team,” he told Krone Zeitung.
“I see it very critically.
“What has been achieved at the moment is that the best team that has existed in the last decade – with Mercedes – is currently destroying itself from the inside.
“I think Toto Wolff is there as an onlooker with relatively great joy. He can come out of this as a big winner.”
Verstappen, though, has downplayed the Mercedes rumours, saying: “Yeah, the intention is, of course, absolutely, to stay with this team, because I really enjoy it.”
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