What we learned as Max Verstappen addressed Christian Horner sack and future

In a packed-out Red Bull hospitality unit, Max Verstappen remained tight-lipped on his F1 future as he addressed Christian Horner’s sack for the first time publicly.

Much like at the British Grand Prix, it was standing room only as the F1 media including Crash.net descended on Red Bull’s hospitality for Verstappen’s hugely-anticipated debrief on Thursday ahead of this weekend’s race at Spa-Francorchamps. 

Red Bull at least prepared accordingly by arranging a more civilised press conference-style set-up including a microphone - in contrast Silverstone’s chaotic scrum, where Verstappen could barely be heard, or indeed seen.

Verstappen was met by a barrage of questions relating to Red Bull’s shock decision to dismiss Horner after 20 years at the helm of the team, and what it might mean for his own F1 future…

When did Verstappen find out about Horner’s sack? 

Verstappen revealed he was informed of the news by Red Bull’s shareholders “half a day” before it was officially announced on the Wednesday following the British Grand Prix.

“Management and of course the shareholders decided that they wanted a change,” the Dutchman explained.

“At the end of the day, they run the team and I'm the driver, so whatever they decide, it's fully in their right to do what they want. That's basically how it happened.

“At the same time now, sitting here, you look back at those 20 years of Red Bull, I think we've had a lot of great years, great results. There are also years where it's not going that well and I think the last one and a half years have not gone how we would have liked.

“Management decided they wanted to steer the ship in a different direction probably. And then everyone else of course has to anyway agree to that and look forward. And I am looking forward.

“Looking back, it doesn't make sense. It's not going to make you faster. But at the same time, we do appreciate those 20 years and especially from my side, the 10 or 11 years that I've been part of Red Bull.

“Those things will always be remembered and the relationship between myself and Christian - for example, that doesn't change. Of course, he's not here now during a race weekend. But it's still like a second family to me.”

When asked if he was surprised by the decision, Verstappen replied: “At the end of the day I think in this world, things like that, they can happen.

“And when they told me, it's not like they just said, ‘this is what we just decided' and then they hung up the phone. You have a conversation about it.

“Now I don't need to go into detail what they said, but I said ‘okay, if you guys think that this is the way forward, I'm the driver, you decide and this is how we're going to do it’.”

Will Horner’s exit impact Verstappen’s future?

Verstappen’s future has been the subject of intense debate and speculation in recent weeks after it emerged that he has been in talks with Mercedes about a possible bombshell switch.

Despite being contracted to Red Bull until the end of 2028, it is understood Verstappen has certain performance clauses in his current deal that would enable him to exit as early as next year if certain conditions are met.

Red Bull’s decision to fire Horner has been seen as an attempt to convince Verstappen to stay amid a long-running feud between his father and the former team boss, but the reigning world champion insists it will not impact any call he makes about his own future.

“I think people can have a difference of opinion here and then and I actually expect that to happen because if everyone always agrees, there is a problem,” Verstappen said. “You need to have difference of opinions.

“That's now something that we work with in a different direction and I'm excited about it. I don't think it will matter at all for my decision in the future. The only thing that matters is that we work on the car and make it as fast as we can make it, really.

“And like I said, the last one-and-a-half years have not been what we want to be. Now we try and be more competitive this year a little bit, but for sure also with the new regulations.”

When directly asked if there is a possibility he won’t drive for Red Bull in 2026, Verstappen quipped back: “There is also a possibility I don't wake up tomorrow! So then there is no driving at all. Life is unpredictable.

“But in general, I'm very happy where I'm at. That was the target that we set out when we signed the new deal, that I would drive here until the end of my career.”

Did Verstappen meet Wolff in Sardinia?

Following the British Grand Prix, rumours were rife online about a possible meeting between Verstappen and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff in Sardinia.

This was a claim first made by former F1 driver-turned-TV-pundit Ralf Schumacher, before Verstappen and Wolff’s private yachts were tracked in the same harbour.

Whether or not the pair actually met, however, remains a mystery.

Verstappen was quick to make light of the situation on Thursday and said he does not pay attention to such rumours.

“Well I was swimming in the ocean at the time, I don't know,” Verstappen said of the speculation. “I don't really care about these things.

“I went on holiday with my friends, my family and when other people also are there at the same time, that can happen.

“There are more people on the island than just me and Toto and the family. If you go to the same island, that can happen.”

First talks and impressions of Mekies

With focus now turning to Red Bull’s future under Laurent Mekies, Verstappen revealed he has already had several meetings with his new team boss.

“I had already quite a few meetings with Laurent as well,” he said. "The last two weeks have been quite intense for him to jump in. But I'm equally also excited for the team now moving forward because that's what we have to do.”

On his first impressions of Mekies, Verstappen added: “It’s been good. I like Laurent.

“He's a very nice guy, first of all, very clever guy. He's been in different areas of the F1 paddock as well and I think that can be helpful.”

But Verstappen was in no mood to divulge specific details regarding the topic of the conversations he had with Mekies.

“We’ll keep that between ourselves, of course, what I want to focus on,” Verstappen said.

“He's incredibly motivated and I like that. You can see the fire. Of course he’s new in the role, but, it's exciting.”

And what has the atmosphere been like within the Red Bull camp since Horner’s exit? 

"I think it's been good,” Verstappen replied. “Of course, when there is a change like that, on the first day, people are a bit like, ‘OK, what's happening?

“Luckily, also, I think on the day after the announcement, I was at the factory doing my simulator stuff. You just go back to work.

“We have to work on performance, setting up the car here, making sure that everything is correlated in the best way possible. You just focus on that.

“At the end of the day, that's my job. That's the engineers' job as well. It's about trying to find as much performance as possible. That's what we're going for.”