Max Verstappen's dad in TENSE exchange with Sky F1 pundit at Belgian GP

Jos Verstappen in Monaco — Photo: © IMAGO

Belgian GP

Max Verstappen's dad in TENSE exchange with Sky F1 pundit at Belgian GP

A Sky F1 pundit took their journalistic duty to the extreme

Sheona Mountford F1 Journalist

Motorsport journalist working in F1 since 2024.

Monday 28 July 2025 17:58

Max Verstappen’s father – Jos Verstappen – was locked in a tense exchange with a Sky Sports F1 pundit on the grid at the Belgian Grand Prix.

Verstappen’s Red Bull team faced their first weekend without Christian Horner in 20 years at Spa, following the 51-year-old’s axe as team principal.

Horner's sacking follows a difficult year for the Brit, after he was embroiled in controversy following allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards a female colleague in 2024.

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The former team boss was cleared of any wrongdoing after an internal investigation, and his axe from Red Bull a year later is unrelated to these allegations.

Verstappen Sr was extremely critical of Horner in the press last year, and accused him of 'tearing the team apart' as their feud raged on.

Gradually, Horner and Verstappen Sr appeared to repair their relationship, and according to Sky Sports legend Martin Brundle the Verstappens played no part in Horner’s axe.

Yet, this didn’t stop Sky Sports pundit and 2016 F1 world champion Nico Rosberg from interrogating Verstappen Sr on the grid at the Belgian GP.

Rosberg wants answers

Jos Verstappen interrogated by Nico Rosberg

When he noticed the Dutchman on the grid, Rosberg made a beeline for Verstappen and immediately began to question him on Horner’s departure.

Verstappen Sr remained stone-faced, but Rosberg had a determined glint in his eyes, and shouted into his ear: “Last year you said Horner needs to go because its destroying the team.”

“That was a year ago, so!” Verstappen Sr shrugged.

Meanwhile, Brundle thrust his microphone into the rally driver’s face to try and capture the response, as the Sky pair pecked at Verstappen Sr like a flock of hens.

“I have nothing to say!” he continued.

Nico Rosberg – not a man to be out-sassed – continued to probe Verstappen, and made sure to have the final world.

“Now you’re quiet!” Rosberg laughed, as Brundle quickly tried to diffuse the tension and wrangle the interview back into control and ask about his son - Max Verstappen.

The four-time world champion won the sprint race on Saturday at the Belgian GP, but could only manage a fourth place finish in the main grand prix as the McLarens secured yet another one-two.

Following Spa, Verstappen's chances of the title have slipped further away and he is now 81 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri.

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Red Bull Max Verstappen Christian Horner Sky Sports F1 Jos Verstappen Belgian Grand Prix