Sky Sports F1’s Martin Brundle believes Christian Horner’s singular focus on Max Verstappen during his tenure as Red Bull team principal ultimately damaged the wider team dynamic, especially as other drivers struggled to extract similar performance from the machinery.
Horner, who had led the team since its entry into Formula 1 in 2005, was dismissed just days after the British Grand Prix and replaced by Laurent Mekies, previously at Red Bull's sister outfit, Racing Bulls.
While Verstappen has enjoyed remarkable historic success with the bulls – including four consecutive world championships – the team has faced ongoing challenges fielding a competitive second car.
Recently, drivers such as Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda have struggled to consistently deliver results, raising questions about the long-term impact of building a team so heavily around a single superstar.
Focus on Verstappen “Hurt” Red Bull
Brundle, speaking to Sky F1, addressed the apparent cost of Horner’s unilateral strategy.
“They did have a string of great drivers, of course, with David Coulthard, Mark Webber, Sebastian Vettel, Daniel Ricciardo,” Brundle said.
“But we've also seen a lot of great young drivers who are still on the grid, like [Alex] Albon, [Carlos] [Pierre] Gasly wrecked, because Max is so unbelievably fast.
“I think the problem Christian had, is he had to focus everything on Max. That’s hurt the team, to an extent, in general.”
Brundle’s remarks reflect a growing narrative that Red Bull’s car development and team operations have been so tailored to Verstappen’s preferences that others have been left unable to compete on equal footing — a criticism that has dogged the outfit in recent seasons as the driver lineup beyond Verstappen continued to rotate.
Verstappen’s Future Unclear — or More Certain?
Horner’s abrupt exit from the team comes as speculation intensifies around Verstappen’s future. The reigning World Champion has been linked with a potential move to Mercedes, particularly with a major regulation reset on the horizon in 2026.
However, Brundle suggested that Horner’s removal could actually make Verstappen more likely to remain with Red Bull in the short term.
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“It’s just odd, it’s a strange time to do it and a strange urgency, I would say to that,” Brundle commented.
“We don't know what's gone on behind closed doors, but I do know that team Verstappen were not happy with him there.
“Does that mean Max is more likely to stay now or less likely to stay?
“My gut feeling is it means he's more likely to stay in the team for next year, regardless of what kind of exit clause he might have in his contract.”
With Mekies now at the helm, Red Bull enters the second half of the season navigating not only technical and competitive challenges, but also internal restructuring – all while trying to hold onto its star driver amid a fiercely competitive market.
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