What's behind the latest Christian Horner vs Jos Verstappen spat?

The pair have an unpleasant history that was thrust into the limelight in the wake of the Horner 'sexting' scandal that rocked not only the team before this season started. With Verstappen Snr. weighing into the mess, taking on his son's boss in the process. Tensions have simmered ever since with the potential to explode again as it did in Austria.

At the time, Max Verstappen's father Jos, said of Horner: “The team is in danger of being torn apart. 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.”

That was March. Four months later, ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix last week, the spat flared up again after Jos withdrew for a 'Legends Parade' held as part of the curtain-raiser activities, in the build-up to the weekend at Red Bull Ring.

Bild claims that when Horner heard about the plans he questioned Jos's participation Questioning the Legend status of Jos who enjoyed an unremarkable F1 career that included 107 starts. And Verstappen Snr's harsh words directed at Horner were hardly going to open any doors for the World Champion's father.

The report adds that it was decided internally by the Red Bull media team - not Horner - that no material featuring Jos Verstappen should be shown on social media channels because this could cause confusion in the aftermath of a tense past few months.

Explaining his withdrawal from the 'Legend Parade, Jos told De Telegraaf: "I've heard from several sources that Christian Horner did everything he could to stop me from driving. Then I think: tell me to my face. I find it very disappointing. This is absolute kindergarten, I'm fed up with him."

However, Horner insists he did not block Jos: “There was no veto from my side or anything like that.”

With this very public spat dominating headlines amid the Sprint Race weekend, the likes of F1 observer and commentator Martin Brundle wonder if it is all not getting to the man that matters in the middle of the fracas: Max Verstappen.

Former F1 driver, Brundle suggested as much in his Austrian GP review for Sky F1: "I do wonder if the ridiculous spat between his father Jos and team boss Christian Horner has finally surfaced on track for him.”

While off-track unpleasantness clouded the weekend in Spielberg, on-track Verstappen was imperious up until lap 64 of the race. But even after all the shenanigans, Max recovered to finish P5 and even beat his teammate Sergio Perez for good measure. Extending his 2024 F1 Drivers' standings lead over Norris in the process.