According to former Formula 1 driver and current Sky Sports commentator Martin Brundle, the dismissal of Christian Horner from Red Bull Racing was not the result of the team’s on-track performance. Instead, Brundle suggests that internal tensions — particularly involving the Verstappen family — played a central role in the team principal’s departure after two decades of leadership and unprecedented success.
Recent developments within the Red Bull Racing camp confirm that the apparent peace established in 2024 between the Verstappen clan and the team’s ownership — which had been backing Christian Horner — was always fragile and conditional. That truce, Brundle notes, was largely maintained for the sake of winning the World Championship. As long as the Red Bull Racing RB20 remained dominant, the two factions managed to coexist. However, in 2025, the situation changed drastically.
The RB21, Red Bull’s 2025 Formula 1 car, has proven to be less competitive than its predecessors. With McLaren and Ferrari now consistently outperforming Red Bull, Max Verstappen no longer has the machinery to challenge for victories on equal footing. The internal atmosphere quickly deteriorated, and tensions resurfaced — culminating in Horner’s removal from his role just months into the new season.
Multiple sources confirm that there was a heated and unfriendly exchange between Christian Horner and Jos Verstappen — the father of Max Verstappen — during the British Grand Prix weekend at Silverstone. Also present at the meeting was Paul Smith, former Head of Communications at Red Bull Racing, who has likewise since been dismissed from his position.
However, according to some German media outlets, Christian Horner’s departure was already in motion well before the Silverstone confrontation. The key discussions reportedly took place at a prior meeting in Austria. There, Helmut Marko — Red Bull Racing’s long-serving advisor and close confidant to Max Verstappen — attended as the representative of the Verstappen side. Marko has long had a tense and conflictual relationship with Horner and had reportedly been working behind the scenes to ensure Verstappen’s continued loyalty to the team, amid ongoing speculation about a possible move to Mercedes.
Martin Brundle provided his insight into the situation during a segment on Sky Sports F1, stating: “It’s absolutely clear that the Verstappen camp has been attacking Christian Horner relentlessly over the past few months. Some of these attacks have hit their target, and I believe that Jos Verstappen has even made it clear, more than once, that he doesn’t think Christian should be leading the team or the company.”
Brundle went on to emphasize the decisive role played by the Verstappens in Christian Horner’s downfall: “The Verstappen family and their inner circle have been instrumental in Christian’s departure. Of course, unless you’re directly inside those meetings, you can’t be 100% certain. But based on what I’ve heard, seen, and been told, I strongly believe they were heavily involved in the decision to remove him.”
According to Brundle, Max Verstappen has tried to focus entirely on his on-track performances, distancing himself from the political turmoil. However, his father Jos Verstappen and Helmut Marko have allegedly been active behind the scenes, working to ensure that Christian Horner no longer had the necessary support within Red Bull’s senior management structure.
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