Max Verstappen has claimed that his time in the F1 paddock has been less stressful following former team principal Christian Horner’s exit from Red Bull. The 52-year-old helped oversee Verstappen’s world title triumphs but was also known for his rivalries with other F1 teams before leaving in July 2025.
Verstappen on new paddock dynamic
“To be honest, I like to see people get on. It is not nice when you constantly have tension between people,” the Red Bull driver told the Press Association. “Of course, from the outside, people like it, but honestly between the teams, it is better when you have just a friendly relationship.
“It is not as spicy, but I obviously quite like how things are going at the moment with everyone's behaviour, let's put it like that. It is less stressful. We are all leading a stressful life and when you can take a bit of stress out at times, it is good.”
Russell faces grid penalty
Mercedes star Russell is set to receive a grid penalty for an engine change after his retirement in the final stages of the Bahrain GP. The 28-year-old, who has earned three wins so far this season, was set for a podium finish before a power unit failure forced him to the side of the track, damaging his chances of catching Antonelli in the overall standings.
The situation has forced Mercedes to take a new engine sooner than planned, which will see Russell exceed the number of power unit components and result in a minimum penalty of 10 places. The extent of the punishment is yet to be determined, as it depends on the number of new parts added, but team principal Toto Wolff expects Russell to start at the back of the grid.
“George has the added challenge of a power unit penalty, which will mean starting from the back of the grid on Sunday, following the engine failure in Malaysia,” Wolff said. “That is particularly frustrating given the way he drove last weekend and the result he deserved to be fighting for.
“Unfortunately, these things are part of the sport and our focus now is on giving him the best possible car and opportunities to fight back through the field.”
