F1, Horner’s revenge: he wins the trial and dominates with Verstappen

Christian Horner he appeared to be nearing the end of his time in Formula 1 after an employee accused him of engaging in “inappropriate behavior” towards her. He made accusations that inflamed F1’s winter break and led Red Bull to launch an internal investigation, which ultimately exonerated Horner himself. The latter seemed to have his back against the wall when, during the Bahrain GP, ​​the alleged chats with his accuser were released. As if that wasn’t enough, that same weekend the first rumors began to circulate of a disgruntled Max Verstappen ready to look around. News heard by Horner’s bitter rival, Toto Wolff, who immediately opened the door to the Dutchman in Mercedes, courting him publicly, as if he had forgotten all the disagreements of the past. After the fifth GP of the season, however, the film is very different and the plot has returned to smile on Horner. The British team principal has maintained (if not consolidated) his position within the team, which in turn is dominating the championship. Also thanks to Verstappen himself, who in the meantime has cooled the rumors about his possible departure. An aspect underlined by Horner, who also wanted to remove some criticism from Wolff himself: “Perhaps his time would be better spent focusing on the team rather than on the driver market”. Translated: think about improving your car and not about the drivers already under contract (Verstappen has an agreement with Red Bull until 2028).

dominant start to the season

—

“Why would anyone want to leave this team?” Horner himself asked ironically, again in reference to the Verstappen-Mercedes rumor. From a sporting point of view, it is difficult to disagree with the British team principal. The RB20, a single-seater born from the genius of Adrian Newey, seems to have little to envy of its predecessors, with which Verstappen dominated the World Championship in 2022 and 2023. The Dutchman feels very comfortable with the car, as he confirmed after the Chinese GP: “It was like driving on tracks.” Sergio Perez’s results, among other things, are also more convincing than those of last year. The internal conflict, which was almost merciless in some situations, did not bring Horner down, who now finds himself in the same position and with the same role as before, only with a slightly longer list of enemies.

all the pebbles away

—

A comeback, that of Horner, that few expected. The British manager really seemed to be on the doorstep and many were convinced that he would be removed from Red Bull even before the start of the World Championship. The only one who seemed convinced of his chances of “victory” (in the context of the intra-team clash in Milton Keynes between Horner’s faction and Helmut Marko’s) it was Horner himself, who in the end was right. Now Christian is removing several pebbles from his shoes, in particular towards his rival Toto Wolff: “They are even behind their customer teams”, declared the number 1 of the Red Bull pit wall, always pressed on the Verstappen-Mercedes topic. The one between Horner and Wolff is a long-standing rivalry, between two who have never loved each other and who want to win at all costs. The Mercedes team principal had perhaps already sensed the fall of his enemy and was preparing to serve him the greatest of tricks, trying to bring Verstappen to Brackley. Horner, however, first withstood the blows he suffered and then responded to everyone on the track, where his team seems as unattainable as in 2022 and 2023.

Don’t miss the entire new season of Formula 1® and MotoGP™ live streaming only on NOW! Activate the Sports Pass from €9.99 per month and enjoy Sky sports in streaming!

now wait for 2026

—

Barring sensational twists, which cannot be completely ruled out given the sensitivity of the accusations made against him, Horner should have overcome the worst. The English manager can now plan his future with greater serenity. Red Bull seems set on winning another World Championship, which would be the fourth in a row for the drivers’ championships and the third for the constructors’ championships. Furthermore, the Milton Keynes team has a technical advantage that could continue into 2025. From a technical point of view, the key date for Horner could be 2026, when the regulations and above all the engines will change, with Red Bull racing for the first time with engines of its own production (the name Red Bull Power Train has been present on the grid for several seasons, but the engines mounted on the cars from Milton Keynes are de facto of Honda). For Horner and his men it will be a delicate moment, as it almost represents a leap into the void: in fact, if it is true that the Anglo-Austrian team has taken away many engine engineers from rival teams, it is equally true that building an entire engine department in just a few years starting from scratch is no easy feat. 2026, however, is still a long way off and for now Horner can enjoy the moment. Everyone thought he was defeated and far from Formula 1, but Christian’s role remained intact (his reputation was a little less so) and his team, which he has led since 2005 (the year of Red Bull’s entry into F1 ), continues to dominate unchallenged. Not bad for someone who seemed to have his days numbered.