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Max Verstappen shared his thoughts on the dismissal of Christian Horner during the media briefing at the Belgian Grand Prix weekend on Thursday, July 24. The Dutch driver admitted that the sacking of his former team boss was entirely a decision made by the team’s senior management.
Horner, who had served in the role as team principal of the Milton Keynes-based outfit for a period spanning over 20 years, was announced to have been relieved of his duties days following the conclusion of the British Grand Prix event. The news of the dismissal of the 51-year-old, who had largely transformed the Red Bull Racing outfit into a powerhouse across the Formula 1 scene, has since dominated the sport’s headlines in the lead-up to the Belgian Grand Prix.
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However, when Max Verstappen was quizzed about it, he stated (quotes via GPBlog):
"At the end of the day, management, and of course the shareholders, decided they wanted a change. And at the end of the day, they run the team. And I'm the driver, so whatever they decide is fully in their right to do what they want.”
"And, management decided they wanted to steer the ship in a different direction, probably. And then, everyone else, of course, has to agree to that and look forward. And I am looking forward. Of course, I had already quite a few meetings with Laurent [Mekies] as well. The last two weeks have been quite intense, to jump in,” Verstappen added.
Horner, who had been a central figure in the success of the Red Bull Racing outfit since its venture into Formula 1 in 2005, largely oversaw several championship victories for the Austrian outfit, including eight drivers’ championships — four of which were won by Max Verstappen. The upcoming race at the Spa-Francorchamps circuit marks the first outing of the team without their iconic team principal.
Max Verstappen addresses Christian Horner’s sacking affecting his future rumors
Max Verstappen also responded to reports suggesting that the dismissal of Christian Horner could affect his future at Red Bull Racing. The Dutch driver was quick to quell these swirling talks during his interaction with the media.
The 27-year-old, who has seen conversations about his immediate future dominate the headlines in recent weeks, stressed that his focus remains on getting the team back to the competitive level it had maintained over the past couple of seasons. Verstappen also emphasised that the former team principal’s dismissal will have little impact on his decision regarding his future.
“No, it doesn't really. People can have a difference of opinion, and I expect that to happen, because if everyone agrees, there is a problem. You need to have differences in opinion,” Max Verstappen said during his media interaction.
"Now we will work in a different direction, and I am excited about it, and I don't think it will matter at all for the decision over my future. The only thing that matters is that we work on the car and make it as fast as we can, and try and be more competitive this year, a little bit, but for sure with the new regulations," he added.
So far, Max Verstappen continues to be linked with the possibility of joining the Mercedes team for the 2026 season. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff has openly expressed his desire to team up with the Dutch driver; however, no concrete contract talks have been reported to have taken place between two parties.
