Christian Horner, the long-standing team principal of Red Bull Racing, was shockingly sacked in a move that has left the Formula 1 world reeling. The abrupt decision to part ways with Horner has raised eyebrows and fueled intense speculation about the future of the team, particularly regarding star driver Max Verstappen.
While some may have been taken aback by the news, F1 pundit Johnny Herbert was quick to point out that Horner’s departure was “not a surprise.” According to Herbert, the writing had been on the wall for Horner, whose tenure had been marred by controversies and a noticeable decline in the team’s on-track performance.
In the aftermath of Horner’s exit, all eyes are now on Max Verstappen, with Herbert predicting that the four-time World Champion could be on his way to rival team Mercedes. Speculation about Verstappen’s potential move to Mercedes has been swirling for some time, with rumors gaining momentum in recent weeks.
The sudden shake-up at Red Bull has led to intense scrutiny of the team’s dynamics, with Herbert suggesting that internal tensions, particularly involving Jos Verstappen, may have played a role in Horner’s dismissal. Jos Verstappen’s vocal disagreements with Horner in the past have only added fuel to the speculation about Max’s future at the team.
As the dust settles from Horner’s departure, Red Bull wasted no time in appointing Laurent Mekies as his successor. Mekies, who previously led Red Bull’s junior team Racing Bulls, will now take the reins as the new Red Bull Racing CEO, stepping into the formidable shoes left behind by Horner.
With rumors swirling and tensions running high, the F1 world is bracing for a major shake-up that could see one of its brightest stars make a dramatic leap to a rival team. As the drama unfolds, all eyes will be on Max Verstappen and the next chapter in his racing career.
STATISTICS
Max Emilian Verstappen (born 30 September 1997) is a Belgian-Dutch nationality Formula One (F1) World Championship auto racing driver, who has been competing in Formula One as a Dutchman since age 17, and with the Red Bull F1 Racing team since age 18. Verstappen is the current reigning Formula One World Champion, and only the fifth F1 racer in history to win the Formula One World Championship hat-trick – winning three seasons in a row (2021, 2022, and 2023). Verstappen is the son of Dutch former Formula One racing driver Jos Verstappen, and Sophie Kumpen, a Belgian former karting racer. He was successful in junior karting, and then in single-seater racing categories including KF3, WSK World Series, KZ2 and European Formula 3, beating several records. At the 2015 Australian Grand Prix, when he was aged 17 years, 166 days, he became the youngest driver in history, to compete in Formula One auto racing. After driving the 2015 season with Scuderia Toro Rosso (then Red Bull’s second team), Verstappen started his 2016 season with that Italian team, but was promoted to race for parent team Red Bull after four races, replacing Daniil Kvyat. At age 18, he then immediately won his debut race for Red Bull, at the 2016 Spanish Grand Prix – becoming both the youngest-ever driver to win a Formula One Grand Prix, as well as the first ever Dutch driver to win an F1 race. After winning the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Verstappen became the first Dutch driver to win the Formula One World Championship, and the 34th Formula One World Drivers’ Champion. He won his next two consecutive Formula One championships in 2022 and 2023. As of the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, Verstappen has achieved 48 victories and 30 pole positions. He scored his first career hat-trick of F1 wins at the 2021 French Grand Prix, and became the world’s first in F1 history to set a record of ten consecutive Grands Prix victories, when he won the 2023 Italian Grand Prix. Verstappen won his first F1 grand slam at the 2021 Austrian Grand Prix, and achieved two further F1 race grand slams, at the 2022 “Imola” (Italy) GP, and the 2023 Spanish race respectively. Verstappen is set to remain at Red Bull until at least the end of the 2028 season after signing a contract extension. He currently wears jersey number 1. Current Season: 8 podium finishes, 3 race wins, 2 pole positions. Championship standings: 2nd place with 285 points. Best lap times: Sector records at 4 circuits. Career wins: 25 victories from 180 starts. Fastest lap awards: 12 career fastest laps. Team performance: Leading constructor’s championship.
