Former Formula One driver Ralf Schumacher has claimed that Christian Horner and Jos Verstappen, father of world champion Max Verstappen, were involved in a heated confrontation at the British Grand Prix.
Horner was axed by Red Bull on Wednesday in a move that has sent shockwaves around the F1 world.
Speaking on the Boxengasse podcast, Schumacher said: "There was another argument or a heated exchange, at least visually and verbally between Jos Verstappen, Christian Horner and the press officer."
"You could see that Jos was anything but happy with the situation."
Former Formula One driver Ralf Schumacher has claimed that Christian Horner and Jos Verstappen, father of world champion Max Verstappen, were involved in a heated confrontation at the British Grand Prix
GETTY/PA
This apparent exchange reportedly occurred just days before significant changes at the team, though Schumacher did not elaborate on the specific nature of the confrontation or what prompted it.
The controversy surrounding Horner began in February last year when he faced accusations of sexual harassment and coercive and controlling behaviour from a female employee.
The 51-year-old, who had led Red Bull since its inception in 2005, was subjected to two separate investigations. An internal inquiry conducted by a lawyer initially cleared him of wrongdoing.
JUST IN: Grigor Dimitrov's coach makes devastating Wimbledon injury admission: 'Completely heartbroken'
Christian Horner oversaw great success at Red Bull during his time in chargeGETTYA second lawyer subsequently dismissed the female employee's appeal against the original findings. Throughout the process, Horner strongly denied all allegations made against him.
The scandal created significant upheaval within the Formula One paddock and exposed divisions within Red Bull's leadership structure.
Despite being cleared twice, the allegations cast a shadow over what had been an extraordinarily successful period for the team, which has secured six constructors' championships and eight drivers' titles under Horner's stewardship.
READ MORE: John McEnroe, 66, left heartbroken after Wimbledon incident on Centre Court - 'That's so sad'
Jos has been openly critical of Horner's leadership throughout the controversy, calling for him to step down from his position at Red Bull.
In an interview with with the Daily Mail, the father of Max Verstappen warned that the team was "in danger of being torn apart" as long as Horner remained in charge.
The pair were witnessed in a heated discussion at last year's Bahrain Grand Prix, with Jos seen storming out of Horner's office before the race.
Though they later shook hands, Jos continued his criticism following Max's winless streak at the Dutch Grand Prix.
LATEST SPORTS NEWS:
"Internally, you should hold a mirror up to yourself and not always gloss over everything," he told German outlet BILD.
When questioned about his confidence in Horner's ability to restore the team's fortunes, Jos responded bluntly: "I'll be surprised, but at the moment I'm saying no."
Schumacher offered a scathing assessment of Horner's management style, describing him as "a bit of a difficult person" who had "failed to keep the team together well".
The former Williams and Toyota driver claimed that Horner "can't really deal with criticism" and revealed he had been placed on a "black list" by the Red Bull team principal.
Christian Horner and Jos Verstappen had an uneasy relationship before the Red Bull chief was sacked
Getty"He no longer talks to us or with me and such," Schumacher explained.
"It's actually a joke, because a man who has won so much should actually be able to discuss it in front of the camera."
Jos echoed these concerns about team unity, stating: "The good people are leaving the team. I'm very unhappy with what's happening."