HE’S the Formula 1 tycoon who could single-handedly steer Christian Horner’s career to safety.
Red Bull owner Chalerm Yoovidhya holds the biggest stake in the company and is said to be the most important supporter of the embattled team principal.
F1 boss Horner, who is married to ex Spice Girl Geri Halliwell, was rocked last week after bombshell ‘sext’ messages with an alleged female colleague were leaked online.
Only 24 hours before, he had been cleared of misconduct towards the woman by an internal probe – allegations he had always denied.
Now, an astonishing civil war has broken out at Red Bull after Jos Verstappen – the dad of superstar driver Max – warned the team will “explode” if the 50-year-old stays.
While some high profile figures in the company have reportedly turned on Horner, Chalerm – who is worth £26billion – remains his most crucial public ally.
Read more on Christian Horner
At the Bahrain Grand Prix over the weekend, the pair were pictured together alongside their wives, Geri and Daranee, as they celebrated three-time world champion Max winning the first race of the new season.
Thai billionaire Chalerm is the oldest son of Chaleo Yoovidhya, who co-created the energy drink brand with Dietrich Mateschitz.
Austrian businessman Dietrich spearheaded the development of Red Bull’s sporting division, handpicking Horner to launch their F1 team and proving to be his biggest champion until his death in 2022.
Since then, Horner has made close ties with Chalerm, while Dietrich’s own heir, Mark, is believed to have cooled on the scandal-hit team leader, according to Mail Online.
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Away from the track, the Yoovidhya empire spreads across multi-million pound properties, vineyards and businesses, from London to Bangkok.
But the playboy lifestyle of one of Chalerm’s 11 children has presented the family with a scandal of their own – and one far darker than Horner’s.
Horror smash
In 2012, Charlem’s son Vorayuth was allegedly involved in an accident in Bangkok in which a cop was killed.
He has been effectively on the run ever since – as the clock runs down on prosecution time.
Vorayuth – known as ‘Boss’ – has been pictured travelling around the world on private jets, enjoying lavish holidays in Japan, Monaco, Venice and Laos in Asia and celebrating a birthday at Gordon Ramsay’s London restaurant.
He is believed to own a home in London where he keeps a black Porsche Carrera with the personal number plate BO55 RBR – short for ‘Boss Red Bull Racing’.
Last month it was revealed a former top policeman in Bangkok faces charges of helping Vorayuth escape justice along with other senior figures.
The saga began 12 years ago when it was claimed the 42-year-old hit policeman Wichean Glanprasert with his Ferrari on a main drag in Bangkok. The officer’s mangled body was dragged down the block along with his tangled bike.
Cops followed a trail of brake fluid to the Yoovidhya family’s gated property nearby, where they found Vorayuth’s car with its bumper hanging off.
A chauffeur was first blamed for the accident but Vorayuth, who attended the exclusive private school Bradfield College in Berkshire, later turned himself in and admitted being behind the wheel.
His attorney claimed alcohol found in his system was drunk to steady his nerves after the crash.
The family put up £12,000 for bail and he went home the same day, quickly resuming his jet-set lifestyle. He was seen three months later at the Red Bull Singha Race of Champions in Bangkok, surrounded by friends and cousins.
It took Thai police another five years to issue a formal arrest warrant in 2017 when Vorayuth fled Thailand and his passport was revoked.
Interpol issued a ‘red notice’ to arrest him pending extradition but it appears to no longer be posted on its website.
He has since failed to show up at court with lawyers claiming he was too busy to appear or had important appointments – including one in London.
Chalerm sees Horner as some sort of foster son
Ex F1 driver Ralf Schumacher
The Thai statute of limitations – the time in which someone can be prosecuted – started to expire on potential charges of speeding, hit and run and causing death by reckless driving.
Then, in 2020 the police suddenly announced they were dropping all charges.
The move provoked fury and a boycott of Red Bull products in Thailand, where campaigners complain of a two-tiered justice system – one for the poor and another for elites.
It emerged that at the time of the accident the dead policeman’s brother signed a contract with the Yoovidhyas to receive around £75,000 in compensation if the family agreed not to start criminal or civil proceedings.
However, the deal didn’t shield them from a case brought by Thai prosecutors and, after the outcry following Vorayuth’s acquittal, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha ordered a new investigation.
He said the original probe had been “compromised” and fresh charges of drug use and causing death by reckless driving were laid against Vorayuth in 2020.
Who is Jos Verstappen?
A FORMER F1 driver himself, Jos achieved two podiums in 106 races but is been better known for being the father of three-time world champ Max Verstappen.
Jos can frequently be seen behind the scenes at Red Bull during the race weekends and takes pride in supporting his son publicly.
However, he has been the subject of some scrutiny in the past.
After an incident in 1998 at a karting track where another man suffered a fractured skull, he avoided a suspended jail sentence after agreeing an out-of-court settlement with the victim.
Ten years later, he appeared in court, charged with assaulting his wife, Sophie Kumpen.
He was found not guilty of assault, but guilty of threatening Kumpen in text messages and of violating a previously issued restraining order.
He was fined and sentenced to three months of a probational, suspended prison sentence.
And in January 2012, he was arrested following accusations that he drove a car into his ex-girlfriend but was released two weeks later after the charge was withdrawn.
He has overseen his son’s career like a hawk and now, with a wedge drive between himself and Horner, it leaves Max Verstappen in an awkward position
Since then, cops have run out of time to prosecute the drug charge and the driving offence is set to run out in 2027.
Last month several government officials and cops were accused of a conspiracy to help Vorayuth escape the country.
Police chief Somyot Poompanmoung and other suspects face being charged with an abuse of power in order to aid an individual to avoid prosecution.
Somyot was last year accused by the National Anti-Corruption Commission of tampering with evidence by altering the speedometer of Vorayuth’s Ferrari.
Humble beginnings
The scandal is a long way from the humble beginnings of Vorayuth’s grandfather, who was once a farmer on his family’s duck farm.
Born to poor Chinese immigrant parents who traded fruit in a town to the north of Bangkok, Chaleo Yoovidhya got a job as an antibiotics salesman before quitting to set up his own pharmaceutical firm in the early 1960s
He said “divine inspiration” helped him create an energy-boosting drink, which he named Krating Daeng.
Austrian salesman Dietrich found the drink cured his jet lag and went into partnership with Chaleo in 1984, launching Red Bull.
While the drink became a ‘go to’ for party animals, Chaleo was deeply private and had not given an interview in 30 years when he died in March 2012 aged 88.
As the eldest of two sons, Chalerm took over the business empire and Red Bull Racing was born in 2005.
The family are said to own five multi-million pound properties in London as well as a luxurious gated home in Bangkok.
Chalerm has 11 children with wife Daranee and one owns a £5.9million townhouse in Chicago.
Since 2001, the F1 businessman has also run a winery in Dallas, Texas, called Siam.
‘Foster son’ relationship
With Chalerm owning 51 percent of Red Bull – with Austrian Mark Mateschitz retaining 49 per cent – he could be the deciding factor on whether Horner remains team principal.
As Geri Halliwell stood by her man at the weekend, packing on the PDA at the Bahrain Grand Prix, the Red Bull owner also made a show of support.
He and wife Daranee were pictured laughing and joking with the Horners on the terrace in the clearest sign yet that Christian has the ear of the big boss.
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher previously described Horner as a “kind of foster son” to Chalerm.
Speaking before Horner was cleared by Red Bull, he said: “He stands by him unconditionally.”
Horner has said he is “absolutely confident” he will ride out the biggest storm of his life.
Only time will tell if he’s correct.
Source: Motorsport - thesun.co.uk
