F1 champion Max Verstappen admits Christian Horner contact 'difficult' after Red Bull sacking

Verstappen, Horner, social — Photo: © IMAGO

F1 News & Gossip

Max Verstappen admits Christian Horner contact 'difficult' after Red Bull sacking

Max Verstappen and Christian Horner remain in contact

Sam Cook Digital Journalist

Sports Journalist who has been covering motorsport since 2023

Sunday 4 January 2026 21:11

Four-time F1 world champion Max Verstappen has said it is 'difficult' to share his bond with Christian Horner over the phone following the sacking of his former boss.

Horner left the Milton Keynes-based outfit back in July last year, with the Brit being sacked from his team principal position after 20 years in the job.

Following that departure, Red Bull's form turned around, with Verstappen winning six of the last nine grands prix and only narrowly missing out on a record-equalling fifth consecutive title by two points.

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Laurent Mekies took over as team principal at Red Bull, and the team took on a much more harmonious feel, that was until Helmut Marko retired at the end of the season and restarted the drama with some comments about Horner's final years with the team.

Nonetheless, Verstappen has now spoken out about his own relationship with Horner, the man who was his boss between 2016 and 2025, and oversaw him win four world championship titles.

Speaking in his Viaplay end of season interview, Verstappen said about maintaining contact with Horner: "Ultimately, it's always difficult. You've built up a bond with Christian and achieved so much - especially in 2021, those moments too.

"You'll never forget that. Christian really went through fire for me. Those kinds of things are always difficult when you talk to each other on the phone."

Will Horner return to F1?

During the second half of the 2025 championship, Horner was reportedly calling various F1 teams to discuss a potential return to the sport, with Haas an option for the Brit because of his team ownership ambitions.

Current Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu recently revealed that an initial conversation with Horner had taken place, but that discussions had not gone any further.

However, reports in the last week have suggested Horner has already put together a consortium of investors aiming to secure a majority stake in Alpine.

Alpine are believed to be looking for a full-time team principal, and Horner could fulfil that role as well as being a major investor, with Dutch publication De Telegraaf suggesting he has raised around €763 million for the takeover, which translates to around £665 million.

F1 Red Bull Max Verstappen Christian Horner