Verstappen’s Red Bull exit? Horner drops hint

In a surprising development within the Red Bull Formula 1 team, Christian Horner, the team principal, has openly stated that Max Verstappen, the team’s leading driver, is free to leave if he wishes, emphasizing that the team will not hold anyone against their will. Horner’s comments came after Verstappen’s victory at the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, reinforcing the idea that the team values are paramount over individual members.

Horner expressed his views by stating, “You can’t force someone to stay in a place based on a contract alone. If someone doesn’t want to be part of the team, we wouldn’t keep them here against their desires,” applying this philosophy universally within the team, from engineers to support staff.

While Horner expressed his hope that Verstappen would continue with Red Bull until the end of his contract in 2028, he reiterated that no one person is more important than the team itself. He acknowledged Verstappen’s long-standing relationship with Red Bull since he was 18 and expressed confidence in Verstappen’s dedication to the team moving forward.

This stance comes amid a turbulent period for Red Bull, triggered by accusations against Horner of misconduct towards a female staff member. Despite being cleared by Red Bull’s internal investigation, the controversy has lingered, adding stress to the team’s environment.

Further complicating matters, there were speculations that Red Bull’s motorsport advisor, Helmut Marko, was potentially exiting the team, a prospect Verstappen indicated would negatively impact his own position within the team. Verstappen’s public support for Marko led to the team retracting any plans for Marko’s suspension.

Amidst these internal challenges, Mercedes’ team leader, Toto Wolff, has expressed interest in welcoming Verstappen to Mercedes should he choose to depart from Red Bull in the future.