Verstappen says Horner sacking won’t affect his future

Max Verstappen has played down any suggestion that Christian Horner’s removal from Red Bull will influence his long-term future at the team.

Speaking ahead of the Belgian Grand Prix, Verstappen said the two-week break since the last race had been used for meetings with new management, including CEO Laurent Mekies, but insisted his plans remain unchanged.

Asked if he agreed with the decision to sack Horner, Verstappen replied: “I don’t know. At the end of the day, management and the shareholders decided they wanted a change. They run the team. I’m the driver, so whatever they decide, it’s fully in their right. And that’s basically how it happened.”

Verstappen revealed he was told “half a day before the announcement” and added: “The shareholders told me. I have a good relationship with them, so I think it’s quite normal they inform some people before it goes public. I think it’s standard practice.”

On whether the news came as a surprise, he said, “I think in this world, things like that can happen. When they told me, I was like, ‘okay, well’. But it’s not like they just said this is what we’ve decided and hung up the phone. We had a conversation about it. I don’t need to go into detail, but I said, ‘okay, if this is the way forward, I’m the driver, you decide, and this is how we’ll do it’.”

Verstappen was generous in his remarks about Horner’s legacy.

“You look back at those 20 years of Red Bull — we’ve had great years, great results. There are also years where it’s not gone well, and the last year and a half hasn’t been what we wanted. But we appreciate those 20 years and, from my side, the ten or eleven years I’ve been part of Red Bull. Those things will always be remembered.

“The relationship between myself and Christian doesn’t change. Of course, he’s not here now on a race weekend, but it’s still like a second family to me. I did speak to Christian — and it was great to speak to him.”

Asked directly if the leadership change will influence his 2026 plans, Verstappen said it won’t make a difference.

“I don’t think it will matter at all for my decision. The only thing that matters is that we work on the car and make it as fast as we can. Like I said, the last year and a half hasn’t been what we wanted. Now we try to be more competitive — this year a little bit, and especially with the new regulations.”

He also injected some humour into the session, saying: “There is also a possibility I don’t wake up tomorrow and then there’s no driving at all. Life is unpredictable.” But quickly reaffirmed, “In general, I’m very happy where I’m at. That was still the target when we signed the new deal — that I would drive here until the end of my career.”

As for speculation about a meeting with Toto Wolff during their shared time in Sardinia, Verstappen dismissed it.

“I was swimming in the ocean at the time. I don’t really care about those things. I went on holiday with my friends and family. And when other people are there at the same time, that can happen. There are more people on the island than just me and Toto.”