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Max Verstappen says that the Boss of Red Bull “had the right” to fire Christian Horner but insists that the decision will have no impact on his future with the team.
Horner was dismissed from his double roles as director of the team and chief executive officer following the British Grand Prix earlier in July, with the sudden and half-season nature of his release after 20 years of responsibility being a major shock.
The decision occurred in the middle of heavy speculations on the quadruple reigning world champion Verstappen, with the team, many Red Bull speculated to get rid of Horner could increase their chances of keeping the Dutchman.
Speaking before the Belgian Grand Prix of this weekend, the first race at which the replacement of Horner, Laurent Mekies, will take charge, Verstappen said that he had accepted the decision taken by the shareholders of the team.
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Following the news that Christian Horner was dismissed as director of the Red Bull team, Simon Lazenby and Karun Chandhok debate if Max Verstappen is likely to stay with the team beyond this year.
He said: “In the end, management and shareholders decided that they wanted a change, and at the end of the day, they run the team and I am the driver.
“So, whatever they decide, it is fully in their right to do what they want. And it is essentially as it happened.
“And at the same time now, sitting here, you look at these 20 years of Red Bull, I think we have had a lot of great years, great results.
“Naturally, there are also years when it is not going so well, and I think that the last of the years and a half did not do the way we wanted. And the management decided that they wanted to direct the ship in a different direction, probably. And then everyone must accept this and look forward.”
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Relive the tops and the wons of Christian Horner’s time as director of the Red Bull team, the Briton having recently been relieved of his position.
‘You must have a difference in opinions’
A major factor in the theories behind the Verstappen camp involved in the dismissal was the troubled relationship of Horner with the father of his star driver, Jos, who had called for the British out of the 2024 season.
Verstappen played the meaning of disagreements between the pair when it was asked how change could have an impact on its future.
“No, it’s not really,” he replied. “I think people can have a difference in opinion here and there, and I expect it to happen, because if everyone always agrees, there is a problem. You must have a difference in opinions.
“It is now something with which we work in a different direction. I am excited about this.
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In the program F1, Ted Kravitz suggests that Jos and Max Verstappen won the power struggle to Red Bull against Christian Horner, who was dismissed as team director.
“I don’t think that matters at all for my decision in the future. In the end, the only thing that matters is that we work on the car and do it as fast as we
“The last year and a half was not where we want to be. Now we are trying to be more competitive, this year a bit, but also certainly with the new regulations.”
The admission of Verstappen that he has a “decision” to return his future, although he is officially under contract with Red Bull until 2028, was then put to him by the journalists.
He replied: “There is also a possibility that I do not wake up tomorrow, that there is no driving at all.
“Life is unpredictable. In general, I am very happy where I am. And I hope that … the target that we set when we signed the new agreement, which I would conduct here until the end of my career.”
‘Horner is still part of my second family’
Verstappen said that his relationship with Horner “will never change”, adding that he considers that the 51 -year -old man was part of his “second family”.
He said, “Of course, I spoke to Christian. I still talked to him today.
“So, in this sense, the relationship will never change so much on my side. We have experienced so many things together in the team and, of course, great emotional moments.
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The new director of the Red Bull team, Laurent Mekies, admits that he feels
“For me, the team looks like a second family anyway and, of course, Christian is included.
“I am incredibly grateful for all the moments that we have lived together and that someone is going if it is Christian or me in a team, which occurs. This is what is happening in sport anyway, nobody is there forever.
“It happened at a time when perhaps many people could not expect it, but at the end of the day, I am the driver and the management made the decision, and you must continue.”
Sky Sports F1 live Belgian GP Belgian
Friday July 25
7:55 am: F3 Practical
9:05 am: F2 Practical
11 am: Belgian GP Practice One (the session starts at 11:30 am)
12:55 p.m.: F3 Qualification
1:50 p.m.: F2 Qualification
3 p.m.: Belgian GP Sprint Qualify (the session starts at 3.30 p.m.)
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Go back to some of the most dramatic moments over the years at the Belgian Grand Prix
Saturday July 26
8:10 am: Sprint F3
10 am: Belgian GP sprint (bright at 11 a.m.)
12:20 p.m.: Ted sprint notebook
12:40 p.m.: F2 Sprint
2 p.m.: Belgian GP Qualify (the session starts at 3 p.m.)
5 p.m.: Ted’s qualification book
Sunday July 27
7:25 am: F3 functionalities race
8:55 am: F2 functionality breed
10:40 am: Porsche Supercup Race
12:30 p.m.: Grand Prix Sunday: Belgian GP Build-Up *
2 p.m.: The Belgian Grand Prix *
4 p.m.: Checkered flag: Belgian GP reaction *
5 p.m.: Ted’s notebook
*Live on the main event of Sky Sports
The Formula 1 2025 season resumes this weekend with the Belgian Grand Prix while the Sprint format returns, live on Sky Sports F1. Stream Sky Sports with now – no contract, cancel at any time.
