Why Christian Horner’s exit isn’t a factor in Max Verstappen’s Red Bull future

Max Verstappen has said Christian Horner’s exit as Red Bull boss won’t play a part in his decision-making for the future.

The former Red Bull boss was removed from his posts as team principal and CEO following the British Grand Prix, ending a 20-year tenure in charge.

Max Verstappen ‘excited’ for new Red Bull direction

Horner’s exit, an axing carried out by Red Bull parent company GmbH, may be viewed with disappointment by many of the ground troops at Milton Keynes, but Verstappen has said he’s eager to see how his team’s new direction plays out.

In Horner’s place, former Racing Bulls boss Laurent Mekies has been promoted to the leadership role, with the Frenchman facing a daunting task to fill the business requirements of a CEO position as well as heading up the sporting direction of Red Bull Racing.

The change comes as speculation continues to swirl around Verstappen’s future with Red Bull, with the understanding being that the Dutch driver has an exit clause in his contract which could be activated after next week’s Hungarian Grand Prix, if the four-time F1 World Champion is fourth or lower in the Drivers’ Championship.

Verstappen is currently 18 points clear of fourth-place George Russell, whose Mercedes’ seat is the one Verstappen is most closely linked with.

Horner’s removal could be interpreted as a move to placate the wishes of ‘Team Verstappen’, with the Dutch driver’s father Jos being a vocal critic of Horner during a tumultuous F1 2024 season.

With the performance of the car dropping off during 2024, coinciding with high-profile departures of figures such as Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley, Verstappen senior had started the year calling for Horner’s removal following an internal investigation by Red Bull GmbH into allegations made of the team bosses’ behaviour with an employee.

But if Horner’s removal will be enough to convince Verstappen to stay with the Milton Keynes-based squad, with whom he has a contract until F1 2028, the 27-year-old downplayed the decision.

“No, it doesn’t really,” he told media, including PlanetF1.com, when asked whether the team boss’s axing would play a part in his decision on whether or not to remain at Red Bull.

“Now, I think people can have a difference in opinion, here and then. I actually expect that to happen, because, if everyone always agrees there is a problem, you need to have difference in opinions.

“That’s now something that we work with in a different direction. I’m excited about it.

“I don’t think it will matter at all for my decision in the future.

“The only thing that matters is that we work on the car and make it as fast as we can make it really.

“The last year and a half have not been where we want to be, now we try and be more competitive – this year a little bit, but for sure, also for the new regulations.”

As for when Verstappen found out Horner would be removed from his post, the Dutch driver explained he’d been told “half a day” before the information became public, suggesting Monday afternoon/evening after Silverstone.

Revealing that ‘the shareholders’ had informed him as he enjoys a “good relationship” with them, he said, “I think it’s quite normal that they inform some people in the team before it goes out. I think it’s a standard practice.

“At the end of the day, I think in this world, things like that, they can happen. When they told me, it’s not like they say ‘This is what we just decided’ and then you hang up the phone – you have a conversation about it.

“Now, I don’t need to go into detail what was said but it’s okay, ‘If you guys think that is the way forward, I’m the driver. You decide, and this is how we’re going to do it’.”

It’s understood that, contrary to rumours, Verstappen has not signed any contract with any team, with only his existing Red Bull contract in place.

Asked directly whether there is a chance he could race for another team next season, Verstappen continued to keep the speculation alive as he said, “There’s also a possibility I don’t wake up tomorrow, so then there is no driving at all. Life is unpredictable.”

Verstappen’s position of authority within the team, an unchallenged number one driver at one of F1’s most competitive outfits, has seen him gain other benefits, such as Red Bull’s aid in establishing his own GT3 racing team, while the Dutch driver has himself shown recent interest in taking part in extra-curricular racing activities.

He has hinted at the bigger picture, as well as the team’s competitiveness, being an important factor in his remaining at Red Bull, but the removal of Horner may have had some impact on Verstappen’s thought process, as he ceded that he is hopeful of keeping his relationship with Milton Keynes going for the future.

“In general, I’m very happy where I’m at,” he said.

“I hope to – and that was still the target that was set out when we signed a new deal – drive here until the end of my career.”

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