Will Verstappen go to Mercedes or Aston Martin in '26? Horner responds
F1 News
- Ludo van Denderen
For the fourth season in a row, Max Verstappen won the world title with Red Bull Racing. It was not easy in a turbulent season. Key people like Adrian Newey left, there was an intense conflict between team boss Christian Horner and advisor Helmut Marko, and the RB20 lacked speed for a long time.
Someone like Verstappen hates fuss and unnecessary issues, and rumours of an imminent switch were circulating during the season. At least at the moment, there is no such thing. Good news for Red Bull, it seems, as the Dutchman seems irreplaceable within the team.
A departure to another team, such as Mercedes or Aston Martin? Horner is not worried about it, he told international media, including GPblog, in Las Vegas. "I think that he's the best driver in the world by a margin, and I think that he's comfortable in the team. He has a great deal of trust in the people around him, and we know that we've got to give him a good car to keep him achieving the kind of results that his talent warrants," Horner said.
'Verstappen improved as a driver in 2024'
It was hardly imaginable after 2023, but according to Horner, Verstappen has grown further in '24. "I think the way that he races now and I think that he'd love to win every race, but on the days that he can't win, he's taking the maximum points. Zandvoort being a classic example of that or Singapore or Silverstone," said the team boss.
"He's looking at the bigger picture now and that just comes with experience. I think that he's got huge maturity, but it means so much to him, you heard the emotion. He's not a guy that fame sits comfortably with, he doesn't call adulation. He just loves driving fast cars. He's a unique guy and he deserves all the plaudits that this season has produced."
This article has been created in collaboration with Matt Gretton