Verstappen says father ‘not a liar’, can work out things with Horner

Max Verstappen defended his father Jos following the latter’s public criticism of Red Bull team boss Christian Horner, insisting “he’s not a liar” and suggesting the pair can work out their differences.

Jos Verstappen's comments after last weekend’s Bahrain Grand Prix, claiming Red Bull was in danger of being “torn apart” if Horner remained at the helm of the championship winning team, came after an investigation cleared Horner of misconduct accusations.

While not explicitly agreeing with his father's assessment of the situation, Verstappen did not distance himself from the latter’s comments.

When asked if he thought his father regretted his comments, Verstappen replied: "I haven't asked him that. I think from how I know him of course, from when I was already in go-karting, he's always very outspoken. He's not a liar, that's for sure."

Read also:

• Hamilton: Parental involvement in F1 career ‘a thin line to walk’

The three-time world champion distanced himself from the inner conflict, but suggested that differences between individuals can be worked out.

“I think everyone in general, even if you have arguments or not, there always are things that can be worked out in general,” he said.

“I think everyone is man enough and respectful enough to each other anyway, in that sense.

“I don’t always agree with everything that happened, just in general in F1, and that's why sometimes it's good to have a discussion about things.

“You might agree to disagree sometimes. That's also what's happening in a relationship.”

As the turmoil at Red Bull plays out, with perhaps more drama to come, Verstappen suggested that he intends to stay out of the fray, and prioritize his performance on the track.

“My dad and I, we are very close, we call every day, even if he's not around, or whatever,” the 26-year-old explained.

“But on the other hand, also, you know, I'm not the guy who likes to speak a lot about certain stuff. I just want to focus on the driving bit. And if there are any issues, we try to resolve them within the team.”

Keep up to date with all the F1 news via Facebook and Twitter