The animated manner of their exchanges and gesticulations suggested not everything had been resolved or said in that previous discussion involving the drivers, and there was plenty more that each side wanted to get off their chest.

And side feels like an apt word, as it appeared to be Vermeulen and Horner who were most animated at each other. The man in charge of the latest double world champion, and the man in charge of the team that took him to those titles.

“Mateschitz’s death leaves at least a degree of uncertainty”

Clashes and disagreements are mot unusual in a Formula 1 team, this is a high-stakes game after all where emotions run extremely high, fuelled by even higher adrenaline levels at times. But you’d have been forgiven for thinking the situation Red Bull found itself in meant it should be a case of happy families.

Major events can destabilise things, though, and the whole Red Bull group certainly went through one with the recent passing of co-owner Dietrich Mateschitz. Red Bull Racing was very much one of his projects and he ensured the team reflected the ethos he wanted when it joined the grid back in 2005, while still pushing for future success.

His death during the United States Grand Prix weekend leaves at least a degree of uncertainty about how the team will be left to operate in the future, and leadership is being tested already.

You could argue it was already being tested a number of months ago, with the Porsche partnership falling through when Red Bull’s management was not willing to give away anything like the level of control it was being asked to.

Or more recently in Mexico City, where the team initiated a boycott of Sky Sports for a race weekend in response to what it felt was biased reporting surrounding Verstappen and his title victories. Verstappen made clear he was unhappy about the coverage, and it was suggested that his management’s frustration that another world title was being overshadowed – this time by cost cap controversy – led to the firm stance.

If true, it would show the tightrope Horner has to walk in trying to appease one of the most talented drivers F1 has ever seen, and still maintain control of the team. Become too lenient with the driver who could well win you a huge number of further titles moving forward and Horner’s influence could be undermined. Go too far the other way, and you’re risking arguably the team’s most valuable asset.

The current situation has empowered Verstappen and his camp, to such an extent that the world champion was willing to disobey the team order on Sunday and deliver a public response to the request via team radio. He’s clearly not worried about the damage it would do to his reputation, but more the statement it would make to Red Bull about the way it works.