Feb.26 (GMM) George Russell has reignited debate over Christian Horner’s departure from Red Bull Racing, suggesting the Verstappen camp wielded decisive influence behind the scenes.
In teaser footage from the latest season of Drive to Survive, the Mercedes driver speculates that Max Verstappen and his father Jos played a strategic role in the power struggle.
“The Verstappens clearly have a lot of power within that team,” Russell says in the episode. “They like to manipulate situations quite a lot.
“For whatever reason, they don’t like Horner and they are trying to get Horner out. I wonder if all of this isn’t some kind of game meant to pressure Red Bull so that he only stays if Christian leaves.”
Russell’s comments revive long-running speculation that Verstappen’s future and Horner’s position were intertwined during the internal turmoil that ultimately led to the team principal’s removal.
Horner, however, directly rejects that narrative in the same episode.
“I feel a real sense of loss and hurt,” Horner says. “I didn’t really get the chance to say a proper goodbye. I never imagined to be in this position.
“Of course, your immediate reaction when you’re delivered a sh*t sandwich like that is to say f*ck them. I had something taken away from me that wasn’t my choice that was very precious to me.”
Addressing the Verstappen angle specifically, Horner distances the quadruple world champion from responsibility.
“His father has never been my biggest fan. He’s been outspoken about me, but I don’t believe that the Verstappens were responsible in any way,” he says.
Instead, Horner points to the shift in corporate power following the death of Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz.
“I think this was a decision made by Oliver Mintzlaff with Helmut advising from the sideline,” Horner says, referring to Oliver Mintzlaff and the now also departed Dr Helmut Marko.
“The founder died, and after Dietrich’s death I think probably I was deemed to have maybe too much control.”