Max Verstappen has addressed and dismissed recent speculation circulating about the potential dismissal of Red Bull team principal Christian Horner.
Horner, who has been at the helm of Red Bull`s Formula 1 team since its foundation in 2005, has faced a tumultuous period over the last 18 months, both inside and outside the garage.
In February 2024, allegations of inappropriate behavior were made against him by a female colleague. These allegations were dismissed following an internal investigation last summer. Horner consistently denied the accusations.
The Red Bull team has also seen the departure of several prominent figures, including legendary designer Adrian Newey and sporting director Jonathan Wheatley. The article also mentioned changes in the driver lineup, including Sergio Perez and Liam Lawson.
Currently, Red Bull is positioned third in the Constructors` Championship standings, trailing leaders McLaren by a significant 141 points after the first six rounds of the season.
Reports from Austrian outlet oe24 had suggested that discussions regarding Horner`s future within the team had taken place, particularly as Red Bull marks its 400th F1 race weekend in Imola.
Red Bull team principal Horner has been in charge since the outfit joined the grid in 2005
When asked about these rumors, Verstappen told Sky Italy:
Honestly, I have no idea where they come from, to be honest. Naturally, I don`t really follow a lot of that. So, people ask me questions about that, and I`m like, `honestly, I really don`t know who even puts that in the world.`
He added that while the team isn`t fully satisfied with their current performance, their focus is on improvement.
Of course, I think naturally, as a team, we are not entirely happy with how we are performing, but we`re also working on trying to be more competitive. But if you ask everyone this question, I think no one is happy or satisfied with their performance, you always want to be better, you want to perform more. That`s what we`re trying to do. So, for me, these rumours don`t mean anything.
Under Horner`s leadership, Red Bull has achieved significant success, securing six constructors` and eight drivers` world championships. He is currently the longest-serving team principal in Formula 1.
Verstappen, who is currently 32 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri, reiterated that the team`s attention is fixed on developing the car rather than on media reports.
We just focus on the performance. Where these rumours come from, I have no idea. I don`t even know how people can come up with those kind of things. We want to improve the car, and that`s what everyone in the team is focused on.
Red Bull Focused on Car Upgrades
Red Bull introduced a new floor on Verstappen`s car at the Miami race and, like many other teams, is expected to bring further updates for the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix in Imola and subsequent European events in Monaco and Spain.
The reigning world champion described the Imola upgrade as a “little step forward” but cautioned against expecting it to instantly close the gap to McLaren, who demonstrated a significant performance advantage in Miami.
We have been constantly upgrading the car, trying to find little bits of performance. This track is not suddenly where the magic happens, but of course we would like to be a little bit faster. At the moment, I don`t know how much that is going to bring us, to be honest.
Verstappen also commented on McLaren`s performance in Miami, suggesting “no one was in the same league” as them and noting their advantage seemed larger than Red Bull`s dominant margins during their record-breaking 2023 season.
We never had that kind of gap but it is also a bit track specific. At some tracks there`s more thermal degradation than others. The advantage will not always be that big.
Marcus Prine