Christian Horner admits: “Max Verstappen won’t stay forever, but we hope he’s with us a few more years”. Red Bull boss Christian Horner reflects on Max Verstappen's future with the team.

The team principal places his trust in the Dutchman’s loyalty
Max Verstappen has 155 points, Red Bull 162. In ten races, Liam Lawson first and Yuki Tsunoda later have collected a mere seven points driving the other Red Bull RB21 on track. These numbers alone highlight just how crucial Max is to the Milton Keynes team. Without the Dutchman, Christian Horner’s squad would almost certainly disappear from the front of the grid — a scenario the team principal hopes not to face in the near future, even though he knows the Max Verstappen–Red Bull partnership cannot last forever (the Dutchman has now reached his tenth season with the Anglo-Austrian team).

“It’s clear how big Max’s contribution is. And I know that one day we’ll have to do without him. Hopefully, that won’t be for another couple of years. But his performances are incredible, and they give a boost to the whole team,” said Horner in an interview with De Telegraaf. “Do I think he could leave soon? No. He’s always been loyal to the team and to Red Bull as a whole. We’ve become very close. He arrived here as a teenager, and now he’s a 27-year-old father and four-time world champion. With Max, you always know what to expect. I still believe he feels very comfortable here.” – the Red Bull team boss pointed out.

Christian Horner emphasized how the human side and quality of relationships within the team are the real gauge a team principal can rely on daily, without needing to take refuge in the contractual “safety nets” in place: “For me, relationships are more important than contracts. If you have to lean on a contract, it means the relationship isn’t working. A contract is something you sign that sets out principles, but then it gets put in a drawer. You only refer to it when there’s a problem. Around a driver of his calibre and talent, there will always be a lot of noise in the paddock. That doesn’t mean Max Verstappen can just leave whenever he wants, but I still think a good relationship is the most important element in a successful collaboration. And Max has always been very open and clear with the team.”