Christian Horner has said he does not believe Max Verstappen was 'in any way' responsible for his dismissal as Red Bull team principal last year. Horner was removed in July and formally left the team in September after two decades at the helm.
In comments set to feature in the Netflix documentary Drive To Survive, Horner attributes the decision to Red Bull chief executive Oliver Mintzlaff and former adviser Helmut Marko, rather than Verstappen or his father Jos. '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,' Horner says.
Horner also suggests that the death of Red Bull co-founder Dietrich Mateschitz in 2022 led to changes within the company. 'After Dietrich’s death I think probably I was deemed to have maybe too much control,' he explains.
At the time of Horner's departure, Verstappen had not committed to staying beyond 2026, but he did so weeks after Laurent Mekies took over as team principal. Marko, who had voiced concerns about Verstappen's future, retired in December.
Reflecting on his exit, Horner expresses a sense of loss and hurt. 'It was all rather sudden. I didn't really get a chance to say a proper goodbye,' he says in the documentary. 'I've had something taken away from me that wasn't my choice, that was very precious to me.'
Horner's removal came more than a year after he faced allegations of misconduct towards a team employee, which were dismissed by two investigations.
