Max denies involvement in Horner’s departure

Max Verstappen has firmly denied any involvement in the departure of Christian Horner as Red Bull’s team principal and CEO. 

Horner, who had been with Red Bull for over 20 years and helped build the team into an F1 powerhouse, was removed shortly after the British Grand Prix amid a slump in the team’s recent performance and a reported power struggle within the organisation.

Verstappen, speaking publicly for the first time since Horner’s exit, made it clear that the decision to remove Horner was made by Red Bull’s senior management and shareholders, and he had no influence over it. 

He said, “At the end of the day, management and the shareholders decided that they wanted a change, and at the end of the day, they run the team, and I’m the driver.

“So, whatever they decide, it’s fully in their right to do what they want. And that’s basically how it happened.

There had been speculation that Verstappen’s father, Jos Verstappen, who reportedly had a strained relationship with Horner, might have influenced the decision. Some reports suggested “Team Verstappen” might have issued an ultimatum linking Max Verstappen’s future to Horner’s exit. 

Max rejected these claims outright. He explained that disagreements are normal and even healthy in any team; “I think people can have a difference in opinion here and there, and I actually expect that to happen, because if everyone always agrees, there is a problem. You need to have difference in opinions.”

Verstappen also denied that Horner’s departure would affect his commitment to Red Bull. Despite rumours of a possible move to Mercedes and his contract running through to 2028, Verstappen stated that Horner’s exit doesn’t really impact his future decisions. 

His focus remains on helping improve the car and team performance for the remainder of the current season and beyond. He said, “I don’t think it will matter at all for my decision in the future. At the end, the only thing that matters is that we work on the car and make it as fast as we can make it.”