Christian Horner responds to Red Bull sack in new clip – round-up

Henry Valantine 24 Feb 2026 10:00 PM

Christian Horner opened up on the experience of his firing by Red Bull.

It has been a busy day of F1 news, not least as the build-up to the latest instalment of Drive to Survive edges closer – and we’re hearing snippets of what is to come.

Alongside news from the Formula 1 paddock, we hear from a familiar face over one of the biggest stories to emerge from last season.

Christian Horner feels ‘loss and hurt’ at Red Bull sack

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Christian Horner’s sudden departure from Red Bull last summer sent shockwaves through Formula 1, and the former team boss and CEO spoke about his feelings on the upcoming series of Drive to Survive.

Having departed the team without any warning, he has opened up on the experience, alongside the messages he received from Toto Wolff in the aftermath.

Max Verstappen hints at Mercedes PU strength

Max Verstappen hinted that “any good team with a Mercedes engine” could be in for a strong season, based on his beliefs around the power unit pecking order.

Red Bull’s first in-house PU ran reliably throughout pre-season testing, and Verstappen has praised the work that went into such a massive project.

However, in a competitive race across power units and chassis development, the four-time world champion hinted that Red Bull’s rivals may be slightly ahead.

Red Bull boss denies F1 2026 benchmark tag

Like his driver, Red Bull team principal Laurent Mekies does not believe the team holds the benchmark power unit on the grid in 2026.

Also believing Mercedes to potentially head up the early pecking order, the team boss has spoken about the ‘good game’ being deployed by rivals to try and deflect attention.

All part of the fun of pre-season, isn’t it?

Alex Albon downplays ‘chaos’ of Bahrain testing starts

After the ‘chaos’ seen on practice starts in Bahrain, Alex Albon was a voice of calm when it comes to how the start may play out in Melbourne.

When it comes to how the cars got away at different rates, the Williams driver predicted that, once every driver is on fresh tyres and having completed the same formation lap, the starts should equalise a bit.

Even though the process may be “not as smooth” as what happened before, predictions of ‘chaos’ may be premature.

Williams junior targeting further success after UAE4 glory

Williams junior driver, Oleksandr Bondarev, spoke about his next steps to PlanetF1.com’s Jamie Woodhouse, after winning the UAE4 title.

He discussed what his success has meant not only to him, but he has had messages from compatriots in his native Ukraine to herald the first single-seater title of his career.

Having returned to motorsport after suffering serious leg injuries, his is a tale of perseverence, and he appears to be one to watch on the junior ladder.