Max Verstappen has confirmed he remains in regular communication with Christian Horner, following Horner’s return to the Formula 1 paddock at the British Grand Prix. Horner, the former Red Bull team principal, made his first public appearance at an F1 event since his departure from the team in July 2025.
Verstappen stated he speaks to Horner ‘almost every week,’ describing their relationship as one would with friends or long-term acquaintances. Horner’s return to Silverstone coincided with a challenging weekend for Red Bull, where Verstappen retired from the race due to a recurring rear wing issue.
Christian Horner was dismissed from his role as Red Bull Racing CEO and Team Principal in July 2025, shortly after the British Grand Prix of that year. His exit concluded a two-decade tenure that saw Red Bull secure eight drivers’ championships and six constructors’ titles.
The departure followed a period of internal power struggles and a misconduct investigation in 2024, from which Horner was acquitted. Laurent Mekies, previously leading the Racing Bulls team, was appointed as Horner’s successor at Red Bull Racing in July 2025.
Mekies’ first year in charge has involved significant internal restructuring. He focused on developing the 2025 car late into that season, a strategic decision that impacted the initial development of the 2026 car.
Red Bull has experienced a difficult start to the 2026 Formula 1 season, failing to secure a victory so far. The team currently sits fourth in the Constructors’ Championship.
Verstappen’s retirement at the British Grand Prix, caused by a rear wing failure, marked a disappointing result. This issue had also contributed to his crash during qualifying at the preceding Austrian Grand Prix.
In the Drivers’ Championship standings after the British Grand Prix, Verstappen is positioned seventh with 76 points. He trails championship leader Kimi Antonelli, who has 179 points, by 103 points. George Russell holds second place with 154 points.
Verstappen’s contract with Red Bull extends until the end of the 2028 season, but it includes a performance-based exit clause for 2027. This clause is activated if he is not within the top two positions in the Drivers’ Championship by the summer break.
With only the Belgian and Hungarian Grands Prix remaining before the summer break, and a maximum of 50 points available, it is mathematically impossible for Verstappen to reach second place in the standings. This confirms the activation of his exit clause.
Reports indicate that Verstappen’s management has engaged in preliminary discussions with McLaren regarding a potential move for the 2027 season. McLaren CEO Zak Brown has publicly denied holding conversations with Verstappen, stating satisfaction with his current driver lineup.
However, other sources suggest that talks are ongoing. Red Bull reportedly offered €8 million to buy out Verstappen’s exit clause, an offer he declined.
Further adding to the speculation, Gianpiero Lambiase, Verstappen’s long-serving race engineer, is scheduled to join McLaren by 2028. This move could influence Verstappen’s future decisions.
Laurent Mekies, Red Bull’s current team principal, was observed speaking with Jos Verstappen and Raymond Vermeulen, Max Verstappen’s manager, after the British Grand Prix. Mekies later followed Verstappen into his driver room to discuss the race issues.
Verstappen commented on the interaction, stating, ‘He came straight in my room, of course, to discuss the problems that we had in the race, to let me know what happened out there. But that’s normal. We always do that, good or bad.’
Horner, during his return to the paddock, met with F1 CEO Stefano Domenicali. He has indicated that he would only consider returning to a team with a clear opportunity for victories.
Rumours also link Horner with a potential involvement in a proposed BYD-backed team, should it enter the championship in the future. He is also promoting his memoirs.
