Red Bull Racing

MAX VERSTAPPEN’s dad has insisted that the F1 champ could BOYCOTT future events in England.The Red Bull Racing star was booed at Formula One’s season launch party.Max Verstappen was booed at the Formula One’s season launchCredit: GettyFather Jos has claimed he could boycott events in EnglandCredit: GettyVerstappen, 27, and team principal Christian Horner both received frosty receptions at the O2 Arena in London last week.The event saw all 20 drivers and ten teams celebrate F1’s 75th birthday.They all unveiled their liveries for the 2025 season which begins at the Australian GP in March.Jos Verstappen has spoken to his son and revealed that he was less than impressed with the response of the crowd.READ MORE ON F1He told RaceXpress: “Max doesn’t feel like being booed in front of 25,000 people.”He also says: ‘If this is in England again next year, they certainly won’t see me there,’ and I completely agree with him.”Jos insisted that the booing was “unacceptable”.He added: “You are there for Formula 1 to promote the sport a little bit and all.Most read in MotorsportCASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS”Then you are booed by the public. I think that is unacceptable. “Look, I understand it.Christian Horner brutally booed at F1 75 launch event a year on from sext scandal”Max is the only one who puts the English drivers under pressure and who tells it exactly how it is, but I think it is unacceptable and a real disappointment what happened there.”In itself, I thought it was a reasonable set-up, but I thought it was embarrassing what happened there with Red Bull Racing, that Horner was booed so much.”Despite the many boos that could be heard, there were also cheers coming from the crowd.Horner mentioned the reception as he took the microphone on stage.He said: “Is that (booing?)… well, it’s fantastic to be here in the O2 anyway.”So I hope you’re all having a good evening.”Verstappen goes into the new campaign having won the four last World Drivers’ Championships. More

JACK WHITEHALL endured an awkward moment with Max Verstappen at Formula 1’s London launch event.Verstappen and his fellow Formula One drivers were all in attendance at the O2 Arena to celebrate the sport’s 75th anniversary as teams revealed their car liveries ahead of the new season.Max Verstappen had an awkward reaction to a joke about his argument with George Russell last yearCredit: XVerstappen accused Russell of being two-faced after he had been branded a ‘bully’ by the BritCredit: GettyAnd the reigning world champion was picked on by comedian-turned-presenter Whitehall over his argument with Mercedes driver George Russell towards the end of last season.As Whitehall walked pasta grumpy-looking Verstappen, he said: “Cheer up Max, it could’ve been worse.”We didn’t sit you next to George Russell.”Verstappen, 27, gave a polite smile to the comment before the camera panned over to a smiling Russell.READ MORE IN F1The Dutchman and Russell had heated run-in following the Qatar Grand Prix in December last year after Verstappen allegedly said he would deliberately crash into the Brit.But the argument boiled over at the season finale in Abu Dhabi as the 27-year-old branded the four-time world champ a “bully” — while Verstappen hit back by labelling Russell a “backstabber” and “loser”.Speaking at the event last night, Russell said he and the Red Bull driver “hadn’t spoken” over the winter, and insisted he had “no intention” of burying the hatchet.He added: “I’ve got no intentions to, to be honest. That happened last year. I want to focus on myself.Most read in MotorsportJOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUS“Things got out of line last year. We are not going to go back to being best mates, that’s for sure. I have no concerns about him or his driving. “I made it pretty clear I’m not going to take it. But now it’s 2025 and I’m focused on the job and the job is to win.Watch moment Jack Whitehall shocks with joke about sex life with Roxy Horner at F1 event“So I’m not going to change my approach, fighting him or fighting any other drivers. The goal is the same.”Meanwhile, Verstappen was less fiery on the subject, admitting he will put the issue to one side by saying: “I have no intention to continue any beef in February.”Instead, Verstappen aimed his ire towards the FIA following their controversial introduction of harsher rules on drivers swearing during media duties.Drivers can be hit with a €10,000 (£8,300) fine for a first offence, escalating to a fine of €30,000 (£25,900) plus a one-month suspension and a deduction of World Championship points for a third offence.Asked about it last night, Verstappen went full Jose Mourinho as he said: “I prefer not to speak about that. Otherwise I’ll get in trouble.”But in a roundtable discussion later on, he said: “If you look at everyone’s reaction to it, that says enough.“In the heat of the moment when you get interviewed in your car, sometimes things slip out.“We grew up playing sports, it happens, you use a swear word.“We shouldn’t take it so seriously. I’m also not going to tell them how to behave in life.“You need to use a bit of common sense and, besides that, I prefer we actually focus on other topics — to try to improve safety, try to improve the overall performance of F1 cars — instead of actually having to focus on all these kind of things.”READ MORE SUN STORIESThe first such case under these rules happened last weekend when World Rally Car driver Adrien Fourmaux was fined €10,000 (£8,300) for using inappropriate language during a live post-stage interview.This included an additional suspended fine of €20,000 (£16,600). More

CHRISTIAN HORNER was brutally booed at the F1 75 launch event at the O2 Arena in London.Fans filled the arena to watch all ten Formula One teams reveal car liveries and driver racesuits for the upcoming season.Red Bull team principal Christian Horner was booed by the O2 Arena crowd at the F1 75 launch eventCredit: GettyIt came a year on from when he was embroiled in a sexting scandalCredit: SplashThe event saw a number of speeches from team principals as they looked to the season ahead.But when Red Bull boss Horner took to the stage he was greeted by a chorus of boos.Horner, who is married to Spice Girl Geri Horner, is a divisive figure among F1 fans due to his controversial way of handling team issues both internally and with rivals.The 51-year-old has previously been dubbed a “Karen” due to his incessant complaining against other teams when Red Bull have not been dominant.READ MORE IN F1Meanwhile, his handling of Sergio Perez last year did not win anyone over to his side either.Clips of the crowd reaction were shared on social media, with one fan remarking: “Oh my god the booing for Christian Horner was even worse than they showed on TV.”A second viewer said: “He’s genuinely disliked.”A third said: “Not loud enough.”Most read in MotorsportAnother said: “Love this.”JOIN SUN VEGAS: GET £50 BONUSLast year, Horner was involved in a stunning power struggle at Red Bull after he was embroiled in a sexting scandal in which an employee accused him of making suggestive remarks.The former member of staff launched an appeal after a judge cleared Horner of wrongdoing in March – with the appeal also being thrown out.Gordon Ramsay has his mic muted after making X-rated outburst at F1 75 Live launch event In a statement last August, his team said: “The complainant exercised the right to appeal, and the appeal was carried out by another independent KC. “All stages of the appeal process have now been concluded, with the final outcome that the appeal is not upheld.”The KC’s conclusions have been accepted and adopted by Red Bull. The internal process has concluded.” More

F1 ENGINEER Calum Nicholas says he was left “broken” by the death of Jules Bianchi after his Japanese Grand Prix crash.The Red Bull engineer worked with the French F1 driver at Marussia as a mechanic back in 2011 – his first job in the paddock. Calum Nicholas has helped Max Verstappen win the last four drivers’ championships at Red BullCredit: GettyNicholas worked at Marussia with Jules Bianchi at the time of his Japanese Grand Prix crash in 2014Credit: PA:Press AssociationDuring the 2014 Japanese GP, Bianchi lost control of his Marussia and clashed with a recovery vehicle.The weather conditions in Japan at the time were treacherous and delayed the race from getting underway.Following the collision, Bianchi suffered a diffuse axonal injury which is caused by severe damage to the head.Bianchi spent nine months in a coma before tragically passing away in 2015.READ MORE F1He was the first F1 driver to die from injuries that occurred during a Grand Prix since Brazilian driver Ayrton Senna.Safety in the sport has come on leaps and bounds since then, with the introduction of the halo and clearer communication when a recovery vehicle is used. That hasn’t helped Nicholas shake Bianchi’s death from his memory though.Nicholas collected the wreckage of the car from the FIA garage and broke down in tears.Most read in MotorsportIn his book, Life in the Pitlane, he writes: “I was not in any way prepared, at the age of 24, to have been responsible for building a car that somebody later died in.“Regardless of the cause of the crash not being a mechanical fault, the guilt of having been one of the mechanics responsible for that car broke me for a little while.”’I’m not myself, please forgive me’ – Shaken F1 legend Eddie Jordan, 76, apologises live on radio after cancer treatmentSince leaving Marussia at the end of that season Nicholas has become a familiar face on Netflix’s hit show Drive to Survive as a key engineer in Max Verstappen’s pit crew.As part of the Red Bull driver’s team, Nicholas has helped propel Verstappen to four straight F1 world titles.The Brit has also worked with Lewis Hamilton on the Hamilton Comission, a research project into diversity in motorsport conducted by the seven-time world champion. Nicholas was a part of the Marussia team when Bianchi crashedCredit: Getty More