Red Bull, Christian Horner reveals: Max Verstappen was not behind my exit. Christian Horner opens up about his controversial departure from Red Bull.

As every year, the new eighth season of “Drive to Survive”, the Netflix series on Formula 1, is about to premiere. This year, the anticipation is particularly high, capturing the attention of millions of fans worldwide.

Although the series is now in its eighth edition and has always attracted some detractors—especially among motorsport purists—this season is generating significant media buzz due to the topics it will cover. Season 8 of the Netflix production promises to reveal behind-the-scenes details of the controversial dismissal of Red Bull team principal Christian Horner, who led the Milton Keynes team to over 20 uninterrupted years of management and success.

Behind the scenes…

Even though the global release of the series is scheduled for February 28, several spoilers and early leaks have already circulated, particularly regarding the internal power struggle at Red Bull that has been widely discussed in recent months and culminated in the departure of the manager who had transformed the team into a genuine top contender.

After speaking about his feelings when he was informed of his departure last summer, Christian Horner shared his perspective on the events that led to his removal from the top of the group. In particular, he addressed who might have been behind the decision to remove him as team principal—and in doing so, he surprised some observers.

Verstappen friendly fire?

According to the English manager, contrary to rumors that circulated in recent months, it was not Max Verstappen or his family, led by his father Jos, who orchestrated his departure. While some disagreements were evident, the final blow to Horner’s position reportedly came from the much-discussed Austrian wing within the team, involving RB Group CEO Oliver Mintzlaff and team advisor Dr. Helmut Marko.

“Max’s father has never been a great fan of mine and has expressed his opinions about me several times. But I don’t believe the Verstappens were responsible. I think this was a decision made by Oliver Mintzlaff with advice from Helmut Marko. I believe that ultimately things changed within the company and the group. The founder passed away, and after Dietrich Mateschitz’s death, they probably felt I had too much control.”