Martin Brundle makes new ‘Team Verstappen’ claim over Christian Horner sack
Christian Horner was released with immediate effect by Red Bull
Martin Brundle is convinced that Red Bull would not have pulled the trigger on sacking Christian Horner without “Team Verstappen” being “fully onboard”.
That statement follows the pundit’s backtracking during the Belgian Grand Prix on his original comments, where he had downgraded his allegation that ‘Team Verstappen’ played a key role in Horner’s exit, to claiming they did not use their chance to stop it.
Christian Horner Red Bull sack: Did ‘Team Verstappen’ play any role?
The Belgian GP represented the dawning of a new era for Red Bull, as for the first time, they went racing without Christian Horner at the helm, their team boss of 20+ years let go after the British Grand Prix and quickly replaced by Laurent Mekies.
Horner had been navigating a rocky 18-month period at Red Bull. Allegations of inappropriate behaviour from a fellow employee led to two internal investigations – both of which saw Horner cleared of wrongdoing – though high-profile exits like those of Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley followed, as did spats with Max Verstappen’s father Jos, and a marked drop in team performance.
Brundle believes those clashes with Jos played a prominent role in Horner reaching “game over” with Red Bull.
In his Sky Sports column, Brundle wrote: “When Dietrich Mateschitz, the Red Bull company boss and co-owner, died in 2022, this left a significant vacuum, and like all vacuums it’s been filled by others with ambition, alternative ideas, and egos.
“Dietrich was universally respected and admired, he had a bold vision and presence, he enabled people and then delegated, seemingly always happy to be in the background.
“I followed him into a big Red Bull function in Austria one evening, he was driving his relatively modest car. A team member at the entrance stepped forward to take his car from him, but I could see him politely decline, and he then parked in the nearby field along with everybody else and we walked back. That’s stuck in my mind in a very positive way.
“His hallmark was on every Red Bull F1 decision, the majority of which he wouldn’t even know about, but everything was wrapped in ‘what would Didi want/think’.
“The management he structured when he knew his health condition was terminal subsequently wanted significant control, as reportedly did Porsche when a partnership was on the cards around that time.
“Christian wanted full control of what he felt he’d created, and in the best interests of the team in a fast-moving highly specialised business. I rather suspect he overplayed his hand, and once the support of the 51 per cent shareholders Yoovidhya family fell away in the bigger picture, Red Bull Austria HQ parked Christian at the first opportunity.
“Given other events which have played out since Bahrain last year, especially regarding Max’s uniquely powerful and vociferous father Jos Verstappen, it was game over.”
More reaction to Red Bull’s Christian Horner axe from PlanetF1.com
👉 How Red Bull 2.0 began life without Christian Horner at the Belgian GP
👉 Five major F1 decisions that have already aged like milk: Hamilton, Sainz, Red Bull and more
Red Bull is on course to retain a key, significant figure, with Max Verstappen expected to stay with the team for F1 2026, amid swirling speculation linking him to Mercedes.
It is believed that if Verstappen had been fourth or lower in the Drivers’ standings after this weekend’s Hungarian Grand Prix, he would be able to trigger an exit clause, but with George Russell – currently P4 – 28 points adrift with only 25 available – Red Bull are safe from the clause.
Brundle had softened his stance at the Belgian Grand Prix, clearing the Verstappens of involvement in Horner’s dismissal after speaking with Jos and Horner, and his latest assessment had “Team Verstappen” as “fully onboard” with Red Bull Austria’s wish to remove Horner.
“Max will go into the summer break in third place in the championship and so any team performance contract exit clause falls away,” Brundle continued.
“But Red Bull wouldn’t have played the Christian card without Team Verstappen being fully onboard anyway.”
Read next – Belgian GP conclusions: Verstappen’s goodbye kiss, Hamilton’s uncomfortable truth, Piastri’s zone
