Max Verstappen team 'words' at heart of Christian Horner exit claims F1 paddock insider

max verstappen, jos verstappen, christian horner, red bull, 2023 — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Verstappen 'words' at heart of Christian Horner exit claims F1 paddock insider

The Red Bull fallout rumbles on

Matthew Hobkinson Lead Editor

F1 Editor & Journalist

Wednesday 9 July 2025 20:53

F1 legend Martin Brundle has suggested that the discontent from Max Verstappen's side of the Red Bull garage has played a key role in Christian Horner's exit from the team.

Horner was removed from his role as Red Bull team principal with immediate effect on Wednesday morning.

F1 HEADLINES: Red Bull FINALLY break silence as Christian Horner sacking causes major team principal reshuffle

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VCARB team principal, Laurent Mekies, has replaced Horner for the remainder of the season.

The news comes amid a poor season by Red Bull's high standards as they sit fourth in the constructors' standings - 288 points behind leaders McLaren.

Verstappen has accrued 165 of 172 points for the team, but still finds himself third in the drivers' standings.

Max Verstappen has been a one-man army at Red Bull this year

Verstappen discontent to blame for Horner exit?

Although Max has not spoken out about Horner and his role as team principal, the same cannot be said for his father, Jos.

Verstappen Sr has made his feelings clear on numerous occasions over Horner's tenure, and Brundle believes that this discontent has played a role in his exit from the team.

"Completely out of the blue," Brundle told Sky Sports reacting to the news of Horner's sacking. "Given things that are going on, problems in the team, words are getting out of team Verstappen and others.

"I’m quite sad about it if I am honest. I consider Christian a friend and he’s done an incredible job there for 20 years. Won an awful lot of races and world championships for drivers and for the team.

"But it’s not been difficult to feel in the Formula 1 paddock and to observe and to hear that things were not particularly rosy."

Red Bull Max Verstappen McLaren Christian Horner Martin Brundle Laurent Mekies