The sudden departure of Christian Horner from Red Bull Racing has sent shockwaves through the Formula 1 paddock, raising fresh questions about his next destination—possibly even Scuderia Ferrari—and prompting new reflections from Max Verstappen regarding his future in the sport, particularly with a view to the pivotal 2026 regulation changes.
The surprise announcement came on the morning of July 9, just days after the 2025 British Grand Prix at Silverstone. Speaking to Sky Sports, former Formula 1 driver and pundit Karun Chandhok provided an in-depth analysis of the situation, focusing on the behind-the-scenes tensions at Red Bull and what this bombshell could mean for both Christian Horner and Max Verstappen.
Why Christian Horner left Red Bull Racing
In his Sky Sports segment, Karun Chandhok broke down the developments that led to Horner’s sudden exit after two decades as Team Principal of Red Bull Racing.
“I believe many factors are involved in this,” Chandhok began. “There had been talk of internal divisions at Red Bull for quite some time. It all started last year in Bahrain when Christian Horner faced accusations of inappropriate conduct. Although he strongly denied the allegations and was later cleared by an internal investigation, those events exposed clear signs of internal conflict between Horner and certain sections of Red Bull’s leadership.”
Karun Chandhok continued, “Horner had the support of Red Bull’s Thai owners, and it seemed that things had stabilised, especially following Max Verstappen’s World Championship victory. But the reality is that the current Red Bull team is completely built around Max Verstappen. Without Max, the team would struggle significantly. Just look at Yuki Tsunoda, who has finished last in recent races, and none of the other drivers who came before him have been able to compete anywhere near Verstappen’s level.”
“This situation has given Verstappen an enormous amount of power,” Karun Chandhok explained. “If Max were to leave today, Red Bull would likely fall to fourth or even fifth in the Constructors’ standings. Perhaps Horner is now paying the price for this environment—but nothing has been officially confirmed yet.”
Verstappen’s influence and frustrations
Karun Chandhok also addressed the role of Max Verstappen’s father, Jos Verstappen, who has been vocal about his disapproval of Horner’s leadership.
“Jos has always been very open about the fact that he doesn’t think Christian is the right man to lead the team,” Karun Chandhok said. “And they’re clearly annoyed that McLaren currently has the most competitive car on the grid.”
“Max has done an incredible job this season—he’s won two Grands Prix and recently claimed pole position at the British Grand Prix with a phenomenal lap. In my view, he’s still the best driver on the grid,” Chandhok added. “But I can understand his frustration. Being the best and not being able to fight for the title because of the car’s limitations is difficult to accept. At the end of the day, it’s the team principal’s responsibility to ensure the driver has the tools to win.”
What’s next for Christian Horner and Max Verstappen?
The former Formula 1 driver then turned his attention to the future of both Christian Horner and Max Verstappen.
“As for Max Verstappen’s future, it’s interesting to note that only last Friday, Christian Horner himself said that Max had a long-term contract with Red Bull and would not be going anywhere else. But now, just a few days later, Christian is gone. Will that have an impact? We don’t know yet,” Chandhok admitted. “My instinct tells me that Max will stay at Red Bull at least until 2026, and then we’ll see what happens. But that’s just a feeling for now. Many answers will come with time.”
Christian Horner to Ferrari or Alpine?
Speculation about Christian Horner’s future has naturally led to rumours about a possible move to Scuderia Ferrari. However, Chandhok was sceptical.
“The first question is whether Horner wants to take a break. He’s been under pressure for 20 years and has never missed a single Grand Prix. Other team principals, like Zak Brown, occasionally skip races. But Christian has been present at every race since the team’s debut in 2005. Maybe now he wants to disconnect and take a step back.”
“Could he go to Ferrari? It’s a rumour that comes up frequently, but it has never materialised. There are still doubts surrounding the future of Fred Vasseur at Ferrari, but personally, I don’t think Horner will end up there.”
Chandhok offered another, more likely option: “Alpine could be a better fit. The team is based in the UK, which is close to Horner’s home, and they’re actively searching for a new team principal. They’ve recently appointed Steve Nielsen and brought Flavio Briatore on board as an advisor. Alpine could be an interesting destination for Christian if he chooses to continue his career in Formula 1,” Chandhok concluded.
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