World Formula 1 champions who are in a position of power have been disrupted by accusations against Horner of inappropriate behavior towards a staff member, accusations that the leader denied and was cleared of.
Renowned designer Adrian Newey stated that he will be leaving next year, and McLaren boss Zak Brown told journalists at the recent Miami Grand Prix that there had been a flood of resumes circulating and Newey was the first to leave.
Toto Wolff, head of Mercedes, has been making advances towards Red Bull’s three-time world champion Max Verstappen, as Lewis Hamilton is set to join Ferrari. Wolff stated that his team has reviewed resumes of Red Bull candidates at all levels.
Horner, in response to reporters’ questions after Sunday’s race, where McLaren’s Lando Norris claimed his first victory, mentioned that there is always movement between teams. He highlighted the number of people they have hired from McLaren and the number of people Red Bull’s sister team, VCARB, recruited from Mercedes.
Red Bull is currently building its own power unit for the 2026 season, when there will be a significant change in engine regulations. They are expanding their facilities in Milton Keynes to accommodate this.
Horner’s reaction is the latest development in a war of words between their rivals in the Formula 1 paddock, with Red Bull’s top executive Oliver Mintzlaff also engaging in verbal exchanges with Wolff.
Red Bull is currently in their third season of complete dominance in Formula 1, and it is widely believed that they, along with their Dutch star Max Verstappen, will secure both the drivers’ and constructors’ titles in 2024. (Reporting by Alan Baldwin)
