It’s official: Christian Horner is out of Red Bull as the 51-year-old is fired from his role as team principal, but what does his sacking mean for Max Verstappen and his future within the team?
Horner departs following a challenging 18 months that have been defined by off-track scandals, power plays and political drama; whilst on it, he has watched his team slump further and further down the order.
“After 20 years with the team, Christian Horner departs Oracle Red Bull Racing as Team Principal and CEO,” Red Bull said in a statement. “We thank him for his tireless and exceptional work.
“He has been instrumental in building this Team into one of the most successful in F1, with eight Drivers’ Championships and six Constructors’ Championships. Thank you for everything Christian, you will forever remain an important part of our team’s history.
Most recently at the 2025 British Grand Prix, Red Bull finished a distant 56 seconds off the lead and that ensured Sauber (last in 2024) have now scored more points over the past four races in a stunning decline of form.
That run of poor results has prompted fears their star driver could be poised to dramatically walk out and head to Mercedes or Aston Martin, but what is actually next for Verstappen and his Red Bull future after the Horner sacking?
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When does Max Verstappen’s contract with Red Bull end?
Officially, Verstappen is penned to a deal with Red Bull until the conclusion 2028 Formula 1 season, making around £50m/$65m per year after agreeing a new deal shortly after his maiden title win at the 2021 Abu Dhabi GP.
That means if Red Bull managed to consistently give the Dutchman a car to fight for titles and wins, then he would have likely remained at Milton Keynes before either signing a new contract or hitting the market as the sport’s biggest free agent.
What are the clauses in Max Verstappen’s Red Bull contract?
However, that 2028 date is just on paper as a formal expiry of the contract. It could actually end sooner based on several clauses and factors, potentially allowing the 27-year-old to still quit if he feels like it – although he publicly maintains he wants to remain there.
For example, one clause reportedly dictates that Verstappen is free to abandon ship if Red Bull cannot provide a competitive enough car, something that has largely been the case throughout the 2025 F1 campaign.
With just two victories on the table through 12 rounds, the team have fallen to 288 points behind McLaren and Verstappen is a distant 69 points off the lead of the drivers’ standings, occupied by Oscar Piastri.
A similar clause based around Red Bull’s constructors’ championship position is said to exit too – namely that the father-of-one can quit if his team are below a certain standing by the summer break. This is usually reported as their the top three or top four.
The outfit is currently safely fourth ahead of Williams, but now trail Mercedes by 38 points. That means they would have to produce some big results from both drivers at the 2025 Belgian GP and Hungarian GP to get back ahead of the Silver Arrows.
A third clause is thought to be related to Helmut Marko, a senior advisor within the team who oversees Red Bull’s driver development program. The Austrian signed Verstappen to Toro Rosso back in 2014 and as someone fiercely loyal, he has not forgot that.
The 81-year-old has also served as a key mentor throughout his development from future prospect to dominant driver on the grid, and Verstappen repaid him by having his back during 2024 when it looked as though he could be ushered to the door.
“Helmut has always supported me,” Verstappen told reporters. “And made my career in F1 possible.
“Without him, I wouldn’t be where I am today.”
Could Max Verstappen join Mercedes after Christian Horner’s Red Bull sacking?
With those clauses in mind, it is possible that Verstappen could respond to Horner’s sacking by quitting Red Bull to join Mercedes, something Toto Wolff will be eager to see happen.
Despite George Russell’s impressive form for the Silver Arrows in 2025, he is yet to win a contract extension from the German constructor and they have made it no secret they’re interested in snagging the defending world champion.
Initially tipped to replace Lewis Hamilton in 2024, Wolff lobbied for the Dutchman to make the switch from Milton Keynes to Brackley; but this was politely declined due to Red Bull having a better car.
Now no longer clearly the case and ahead of the 2026 regulations changes, of which Mercedes are tipped to boast an impressive power unit, Wolff is trying once again and this time it seems as though it’s a realistic prospect.
Reports on July 2 suggest Verstappen was in advanced talks with a plan to drop Red Bull, whom he has been involved with for a decade, for new pastures at Mercedes and this could happen as soon as the summer break on August 3.
Now with another key personnel change within Red Bull, following the likes of Rob Marshall, Adrian Newey and Jonathan Wheatley, it could be possible that Horner’s sacking represents the final straw for Verstappen and as a result, he may leave.
