F1: Verstappen demands Horner’s exit to stay with Red Bull in 2026

Max Verstappen, four-time Formula 1 world champion, has put Red Bull on the spot by conditioning his stay with the team on a major restructuring, including the removal or significant reduction of team principal Christian Horner’s influence. According to German outlet Auto Motor und Sport, the Dutch driver, unhappy with the current management, is pushing for substantial changes by the summer break following the Hungarian Grand Prix in July 2025. The internal crisis, worsened by controversies surrounding Horner and the team’s performance dip in 2025, could see Verstappen leave Red Bull, with Mercedes and Aston Martin already vying for his signature. The decision is set to shake up Formula 1’s paddock.

Verstappen’s frustration is not new but has intensified with Red Bull’s challenges this season. The driver, who clinched four consecutive titles from 2021 to 2024, has seen the team lose competitiveness, particularly after key figures like Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley departed. His strained relationship with Horner, marked by public friction, has become the crux of the crisis.

• Reasons for the push: Verstappen seeks a more decentralized management model, inspired by McLaren, with clear divisions of power in engineering, engines, and marketing.
• Set deadline: The summer break is the cutoff for a decision, per sources close to the driver.
• Alternatives: If demands go unmet, Mercedes and Aston Martin have signaled interest in the Dutchman.

Red Bull, which dominated the sport in recent years, now faces a critical moment, with the potential loss of its biggest sporting asset.

Attention turns to the second part of this home-and-home double header 🏡#F1 || #BritishGP 🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/98sfJ3YH2n

— Oracle Red Bull Racing (@redbullracing) June 30, 2025

Horner’s leadership under scrutiny

Christian Horner, Red Bull’s team principal since 2005, is a cornerstone of the team’s success, with six constructors’ titles and seven drivers’ championships. However, his leadership was rocked by 2024 harassment allegations, which, though dismissed, caused internal and external damage. Verstappen, who prioritizes stability, sees Horner’s continued control as a barrier to the team’s future, especially with the 2026 engine regulation changes looming.

Insiders note that Horner retains partial support from the Yoovidhya family, Red Bull’s majority shareholders. Yet, pressure from the Austrian arm of the company, concerned about brand image, opens room for talks. Decentralizing power by redistributing strategic roles is under consideration, but Horner’s resistance could complicate reforms.

Proposed management model

Verstappen’s restructuring proposal draws from teams like McLaren, which employs a clear division of responsibilities among executive leaders. At McLaren, technical, strategic, and commercial roles are handled by distinct professionals, ensuring balance. At Red Bull, Horner centralizes key decisions, which Verstappen’s camp argues stifles innovation and quick responses to on-track demands.

A case in point is Red Bull’s in-house engine project, set to replace Honda units in 2026. The ambitious endeavor faces technical hurdles, and Verstappen fears Horner’s centralized approach could delay progress. The team has begun reshuffling some roles, like promoting Gianpiero Lambiase, Verstappen’s former race engineer, to head of racing, but broader changes hinge on corporate decisions.

• Affected areas: Engineering, engine development, and marketing strategies are targeted for reform.
• Potential leaders: Peter Bayer and Andreas Seidl are rumored as candidates for new roles.
• Challenges: Horner’s resistance and the complexity of overhauling a two-decade-old model.

Rivals circling

Verstappen’s potential exit has put Formula 1 on high alert. Mercedes, led by Toto Wolff, is already in talks with the driver’s team. Wolff sees the Dutchman as the perfect replacement for Lewis Hamilton, who joined Ferrari in 2025. Aston Martin, banking on Adrian Newey’s presence and its Honda partnership, has reportedly offered a billion-dollar deal to lure Verstappen.

Verstappen’s decision isn’t solely financial. He’s weighing each team’s competitive prospects for 2026, when new regulations could reshape the grid. Mercedes, with its hybrid engine expertise, and Aston Martin, with Newey and Honda, offer compelling but risky projects.

History of tensions

Tensions between Verstappen and Horner predate 2025. In 2024, the driver voiced frustration with the car’s performance, especially as McLaren took the constructors’ lead. Horner’s controversies, including misconduct allegations, heightened internal strain. Verstappen, known for his bluntness, openly criticized the team at times, signaling his waning patience.

Leia Tambem

Mar Morto encolhe um metro por ano e forma dolinas que ameaçam turi

Defesa de Courtney Clenney inspeciona facas do crime em audiência na Flórida

Daphne Joy se manifesta após vazamento de vídeo explícito com Diddy

The driver-team principal relationship has always been professional but never warm. Verstappen values freedom to focus on racing, while Horner’s centralized style often clashes with the Dutchman’s demands. Newey’s exit, a technical mentor to Verstappen, further eroded trust, reinforcing the need for drastic changes.

Paddock reactions

Verstappen’s demands have stirred Formula 1’s paddock. Rival teams are closely monitoring the situation, aware that his departure could shift the sport’s balance. At McLaren, Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri, leading the 2025 championship, sidestep comments, but the prospect of facing Verstappen at a rival team fuels anticipation.

At Red Bull, caution prevails. Consultant Helmut Marko downplayed rumors but acknowledged that Verstappen’s crash with Kimi Antonelli at the Austrian Grand Prix, leading to his retirement, fueled speculation. The team plans strategic meetings before the British Grand Prix at Silverstone to chart next steps.

• Rival views: Mercedes’ Toto Wolff confirmed interest in Verstappen but respects his Red Bull contract.
• Aston Martin: The Silverstone-based team stays discreet, but sources suggest advanced talks with Verstappen’s camp.
• McLaren and Ferrari: Both rule out interest, focused on their current driver lineups.

Red Bull’s future without Verstappen

Verstappen’s departure would be a massive blow to Red Bull. The Dutchman is the cornerstone of the team’s sporting project, which has struggled to extract similar performance from second drivers like Sergio Pérez and Liam Lawson. The team’s 2025 drop to fourth in the constructors’ standings underscores its reliance on Verstappen.

Red Bull is exploring options, such as promoting young talents like Isack Hadjar from Racing Bulls. However, no current grid driver seems capable of matching Verstappen’s impact, both in results and market value. The team also faces pressure to improve the car before 2026, when its in-house engine transition will be a critical test.

Next steps

Verstappen’s decision is expected by the Hungarian Grand Prix, the final race before the summer break. Until then, Red Bull must navigate internal negotiations and decide how far it’s willing to go to meet the driver’s demands. The Yoovidhya family, controlling the company, faces a dilemma: back Horner, an experienced manager, or prioritize Verstappen, the team’s greatest asset.

Meanwhile, Formula 1 gears up for the British Grand Prix, July 4-6, at Silverstone. The 12th round of the 2025 season could offer clues about Verstappen’s future, especially if Red Bull fails to show progress. The paddock remains on edge, knowing the Dutchman’s choice could reshape the sport.

Driver market ripple effects

Verstappen’s moves are already influencing the 2026 driver market. George Russell, whose Mercedes contract ends in 2025, is a “plan B” for Aston Martin. Carlos Sainz, now at Williams, and Yuki Tsunoda, with Racing Bulls, are also on larger teams’ radars if Red Bull needs a replacement. The driver market shuffle promises to be intense, with Verstappen at its core.

The Red Bull crisis also raises questions about other teams’ stability. Ferrari, with Hamilton and Leclerc, and McLaren, with Norris and Piastri, appear settled, but Verstappen joining a rival could disrupt the grid. The 2025 season, far from predictable, keeps Formula 1 in a state of flux.