Max Verstappen’s threat to leave Red Bull to follow Helmut Marko did not sit well with Christian Horner. Verstappen revealed that he would have no other option but to walk away if the 80-year-old parted ways with the Austrian team after the suspension allegations on the latter. The Red Bull boss responded to this fiercely as he claimed no single individual is bigger than the team. This, according to Scott Mitchell-Malm has been Horner’s way of tackling the situation and calling out Verstappen’s “bluff.”
Speaking about this, Mitchell-Malm said on The Race F1 podcast, “I think hinting that he might actually want to call Verstappen’s bluff over this and just go, ‘alright if go with this guy, you really wanna walk away from the fastest car in F1, all these wins and more titles.
“If you want to do that I’ve got a dozen other drivers who want that seat and I bet a bunch of them can win races as well.’ I feel like that’s where Horner’s position is, sort of.”
Verstappen’s willingness to leave Red Bull is quite shocking given the form they are in. The Milton-Keynes-based team has been absolutely unstoppable following the new regulations, thanks to Adrian Newey, of course. The Dutchman claimed 36 of his 56 wins since 2022, and one can expect the numbers to go even higher in the future.
Furthermore, the 26-year-old has dominated to be the champion in the last two years. With two more years to go under the current regulations, Verstappen is undoubtedly the favorite to clinch the 2024 and even the 2025 F1 championship. Therefore, the Dutchman’s statement to move out amid the scintillating form from Red Bull is quite bizarre, to say the least.
As it is not very wise for the defending champion to walk away from Red Bull, given their supremacy, Horner is certainly at an advantage. This is simply because he can deploy a replacement and make him win races. However, things might change in the coming days.
Is Christian Horner to be axed from Red Bull?
According to recent reports, Red Bull might axe Christian Horner even though they cleared him after the independent investigation last week. According to F1Insider, Chalerm Yoovidhya, the head of the Yoovidhya family reportedly switched sides and this takes off the protective cover from Horner.
The Yoovidhya family has reportedly been supportive of the Red Bull boss since day one of the investigation. But recent pressure from outside made him change his mind. The reason for the alleged change of heart is that influential women’s rights activists are gearing up to protest against the Red Bull group in the USA.
This would shed all the negative light on the energy drink brand. Therefore, Ford, being an American company itself would want to dissociate themselves from Red Bull Racing. This is something the Austrian team cannot afford since Ford will be their engine partner from 2026.
Furthermore, the employee whom Red Bull sacked might end up suing the team with a civil lawsuit. If that happens, it would jeopardize the brand image of the company. Therefore, parting ways with Christian Horner may become the only logical way.
However, a Red Bull spokesperson denied the rumors of the dismissal. He stated that Horner enjoys having the support of Red Bull, its top officials, and the Yoovidhya family and will continue to do so.
