Jos Verstappen reignites Christian Horner feud with brutal Red Bull assessment

Max Verstappen's father Jos Verstappen has praised the atmosphere within the Red Bull F1 team since Laurent Mekies took over as team principal, in a cheeky swipe at former boss Christian Horner.

Verstappen senior and Horner had been publicly feuding for much of the 2024 season, and that even continued into 2025, with son Max revealing how hard it was to be stuck between his boss and his father.

However, Horner was axed from Red Bull last summer following a period of poor results, while the Verstappens remain an integral part of the team.

Horner was replaced by Mekies, and the Milton Keynes-based outfit's form has picked up as the season has rumbled on.

It means that four-time world champion Verstappen still has a small chance of claiming a record-equalling fifth consecutive world championship title, currently sat 36 points behind McLaren's Lando Norris with four race weekends remaining.

Now, Verstappen Sr has spoken about his son's chances of once again claiming championship success, suggesting that Mekies has provided a positive atmosphere within the team.

"The fact that he even has a chance at the world title is a huge bonus," Verstappen Sr told De Telegraaf.

"Especially when you compare it to the situation around the summer break. The atmosphere in the team is completely different.

"I have a good relationship with team principal Laurent Mekies, and it gives me a lot of peace of mind now that I see how much fun Max is having again. He's in good hands."

Red Bull's turnaround in form

Red Bull were severely lacking in pace to McLaren for much of the early parts of the 2025 season, with Verstappen only managing to win two of the first 15 grands prix of the season, falling over 100 points behind championship leader Oscar Piastri at one stage.

But he is now on a roll, having claimed six consecutive grand prix podiums and winning four of the last seven races when taking into account sprint races.

It means that he is now just 36 points behind new championship leader Norris, and he could yet win that fifth title despite McLaren dominating their rivals in the constructors' championship this year.

Red Bull's upturn in form is also evidenced by Yuki Tsunoda's points-scoring weekends, highlighting the RB21's improved capabilities compared to earlier in the season.

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