Formula 1: Articles & News Reports.

[Fortitude]

Nico Hulkenberg's emotional radio message after finally achieving a podium in 239th race.
"I don't think I comprehend what we've just done. OH MY GOD!"
July 6, 2025
SPORTbible

Nico Hulkenberg was full of emotion on his team radio after finally securing his first ever podium finish in Formula One following 239 races starts. The German started the race in 19th at the British Grand Prix but produced an incredible performance to pip Ferrari's Lewis Hamilton to third place at Silverstone and achieve a moment that was a long time coming.

Lando Norris won on home soil for the first time but Hulkenberg of Sauber was named the driver of the day for his superb showing in tough, wet conditions. Hulkenberg was able to keep a considerable distance between himself and Hamilton to finish third and Sky Sports broadcasted his wonderful exchange with his team on the radio.

Nico Hulkenberg shared embraces aplenty with his colleagues after crossing the finish line, celebrating wildly before reflecting on his triumph with 2009 F1 champion Jenson Button. The 37-year-old held the record for the most Grand Prix events before standing on the podium but it was worth the wait in gold as he proudly stood alongside McLaren pair Norris and Oscar Piastri and held his trophy. Hulkenberg has had so many setbacks since beginning his F1 career in 2010, including being dropped in 2020, but it was pure euphoria on Sunday.

"I don't think I comprehend what we've just done. OH MY GOD!";

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/britis...07461-20250706


British GP: Race Results
Full results from the Formula 1 British Grand Prix where Lando Norris took his fourth victory of 2025.
7 Jul 2025
Ben Waterworth
Speedcafe

POS. NO. DRIVER TEAM LAPS TIME / RETIRED PTS.
1 4 Lando Norris McLaren 52 1:37:15.735 25
2 81 Oscar Piastri McLaren 52 +6.812s 18
3 27 Nico Hulkenberg Kick Sauber 52 +34.742s 15
4 44 Lewis Hamilton Ferrari 52 +39.812s 12
5 1 Max Verstappen Red Bull Racing 52 +56.781s 10
6 10 Pierre Gasly Alpine 52 +59.857s 8
7 18 Lance Stroll Aston Martin 52 +60.603s 6
8 23 Alexander Albon Williams 52 +64.135s 4
9 14 Fernando Alonso Aston Martin 52 +65.858s 2
10 63 George Russell Mercedes 52 +70.674s 1

‘Race Results’;

https://speedcafe.com/f1-news-2025-b...-race-results/


Norris wins at home but Hulkenberg steals the show with maiden podium
Lando Norris wins the British Grand Prix after his teammate is penalized for safety car violation. Nico Hulkenberg puts his Sauber on the podium for the first time.
July 6, 2025
Wesley Branton
Racing Clothesline

Formula One returned to the venue where it all started 75 years ago. On that occasion, Giuseppe Farina won the inaugural round of the 1950 World Championship from pole position, going on to take the first championship title at the end of the year. Alfa Romeo dominated that day, being the only cars to finish on the lead lap. While McLaren wanted to emulate Alfa Romeo’s performance, Max Verstappen wanted to win from pole like Farina.

There was more drama when the race restarted on lap 23. Piastri braked as the safety car pulled away, catching Verstappen off guard. Verstappen briefly overtook Piastri before the restart. Verstappen was immediately on the radio to complain about the incident. The incident caught the attention of the stewards, who eventually awarded Piastri a ten-second penalty for driving irrationally. Verstappen avoided any punishment for overtaking behind the safety car.

As the laps ticked down, Piastri begged his team to swap positions, essentially nullifying the penalty. But the team refused, leaving Norris in the lead to win for the first time in front of his home crowd. But all eyes were on Nico Hulkenberg. His day started when he lined up at the back of the grid for the 239th time in his career, unaware his day would finish with him standing on the podium for the first time. It was the first time a Sauber driver stood on the podium since the Japanese Grand Prix way back in 2012. It will also likely be the last time, with Audi set to take over the Swiss-based team at the end of the year.

‘Hulkenberg steals the show’;

https://racingclothesline.com/formul...maiden-podium/


Nico Hulkenberg 'breaks cooldown room protocol' after first podium finish as Lando Norris forced to step in
July 6, 2025
SPORTbible

After the conclusion of the British Grand Prix, Hulkenberg and Piastri entered the cooldown room, with Norris arriving after his counterparts. And the McLaren star made his way into the cooldown room with Hulkenberg's helmet.

Once Norris placed Hulkenberg's helmet and his own on the stand, the German could be heard saying: "What do we need it for?" Of course, it's his debut in the cooldown room, having never finished on the podium before, so he was clearly unaware that his helmet was required.

"What do we need it for?" ;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/niko-h...78025-20250706


Max Verstappen sends ‘amazing’ message to Nico Hulkenberg after securing his first F1 podium at the British Grand Prix
6 July 2025
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Max Verstappen says Nico Hulkenberg was the only ‘positive’ from the British Grand Prix. Verstappen slipped down to 11th at one point in the race but recovered well to finish fifth. It means he falls further behind Norris and Oscar Piastri in the drivers’ championship, and Verstappen had to deal with a ‘killer’ Red Bull problem throughout the race.

Speaking to Viaplay after the race in the media pen, Verstappen was asked about Hulkenberg’s achievement. He said: “Yeah, amazing! That’s the positive thing of the day! I am so happy for him that he got the podium, yeah, so nice to see.”

‘Max Verstappen sends ‘amazing’ message to Nico Hulkenberg’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/max...sh-grand-prix/


Hulkenberg's podium ends a terrible F1 injustice
Jul 6, 2025
Edd Straw
The Race

A great wrong was put right by Nico Hulkenberg’s shock third place in the British Grand Prix. On his 239th start, he finally stood on the podium for the first time, shedding the record of being, statistically, Formula 1’s most prolific failure.

The unenviable record for most starts without a podium finish, which he has just handed back to Adrian Sutil, was viewed by many as a badge of dishonour. Some used it as a stick to beat him with, proof there was something wrong with him, a fragility that made him choke when opportunity knocked. Now, it can’t be used against him.

Hulkenberg has taken to this generation of cars, more so than he did at times during previous eras - particularly when tyre management was the overwhelming factor. That was a skillset he developed, turning himself into a mature, dependable racer, no longer the upstart future world champion but a grizzled, battle-hardened competitor still able to cause a surprise or two.

‘A great wrong was put right’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/n...-f1-injustice/


Hulkenberg ‘in denial’ of milestone F1 podium until last pitstop
06/07/2025
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

After 239 starts, countless near-misses, and a career defined by gritty determination, Nico Hulkenberg finally climbed onto the Formula 1 podium at the 2025 British Grand Prix. Starting from the back of the pack in P19, he navigated the chaotic, rain-soaked early laps with precision, taking advantage of five drivers starting from the pit lane as they gambled on dry rubber.

As the track dried and then turned wet again, Hulkenberg’s Sauber shone, with perfectly timed pitstops propelling him into contention. By the race’s final stages, he found himself in third, fending off none other than seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton, who was chasing him down in front of a roaring home crowd.

As Hulkenberg held his own, the weight of his elusive podium loomed large. “I think I was in denial, till, like, probably the last pit stop,” he admitted post-race, his voice tinged with disbelief. The gap to Hamilton, who was charging in his Ferrari, had grown after a strategic extra lap on intermediates. “Then when I heard we opened the gap to Lewis quite a bit with the one extra lap, so this is good. This is some breathing space,” he added. “But then, he was catching quite quickly. So, the pressure was there. It was an intense race.”

‘Perfectly timed pitstops propelling him into contention’;

https://f1i.com/news/543516-hulkenbe...t-pitstop.html

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris' British Grand Prix celebrations go awry as he suffers freak injury...
Some absolute pillock has just jumped off the pit wall backwards & straight into Lando Norris' face, apparently cutting his nose, just as he was going up to celebrate with the Silverstone crowd with the trophy! pic.twitter.com/m2i8NxaMsV
6 July 2025
ROBERT SUMMERSCALES
MailOnline

Lando Norris' emotional British Grand Prix triumph ended with a cut to the nose and the threat of a fine after a freak incident marred his celebrations at Silverstone. The 25-year-old McLaren star claimed his first-ever home win on Sunday, becoming the first new British driver to win the race since Lewis Hamilton in 2008.

But as Norris carried the famous RAC trophy to celebrate with fans, a man in dark clothing and a bright purple baseball cap, who appeared to be holding a camera, fell backwards off the pit wall and crashed into him, pushing Norris into another photographer's lens. Footage shows Norris stumbling backwards from the impact, appearing to hit his face before clutching his nose in pain.

He was later seen being escorted away by McLaren staff but was able to smile and wave to fans, with the team confirming he suffered only a small cut. The incident took the edge off a landmark day for Norris, who was reduced to tears after winning a chaotic, rain-hit race ahead of team-mate Oscar Piastri and Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg, cutting Piastri's lead in the drivers' standings to just eight points after 12 rounds.

‘Some absolute pillock’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...-rule-too.html


Lando Norris involved in bizarre British GP celebrations mishap
6 Jul 2025
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Holding his nose, Norris was ushered away from the scene by McLaren personnel. In the aftermath, the British GP winner showed off his nose injury, quipping that a second scar had been added to the collection. “Long story, but now I have two scars on my nose,” he said. “One was lonely, so now I’ve got two. But it’s all part of the memories of Silverstone.”

As for the original scar, Norris suffered facial injuries while partying in Amsterdam a week prior to taking his maiden win at the 2024 Miami Grand Prix; an image showing Norris with his face bandaged having gone viral on social media.

“One was lonely, so now I’ve got two. But it’s all part of the memories of Silverstone”;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lando-...rations-mishap


McLaren boss makes explosive new claim after Oscar Piastri 'robbed' of victory in British GP
The Aussie driver was leading the race when he copped a contentious 10-second penalty.
7 July 2025
Sam Goodwin
Yahoo! Australia

McLaren boss Andrea Stella has suggested Oscar Piastri's rivals might have made his controversial infringement in the British Grand Prix "look worse" than what it actually was. Piastri and the majority of F1 were left fuming at his second-place finish on Sunday, with many of the belief he was robbed of the victory.

Speaking after the race, McLaren team principal Stella described the punishment as "very harsh", and pointed out the safety car was called very late. He also suggested there might have been some "race craft" involved in the response from rival drivers.

“We’ll have to see also if other competitors kind of made the situation look worse than what it is, because we know that the race craft for some competitors, definitely, there’s also the ability to make others look like they are causing severe infringement when they are not," Stella said.

"Race craft"

https://au.news.yahoo.com/f1-controv...205559636.html


‘I didn’t get the result I deserved’ – Piastri rues penalty after P2 at Silverstone
Oscar Piastri voiced his unhappiness at the 10-second time penalty he received during the British Grand Prix, the Australian ending the race in second after earlier leading.
6 Jul 2025
Formula One - Official Site

Oscar Piastri: “Apparently you can’t brake behind the Safety Car anymore. I did it for five laps before that and, again, I’m not going to say too much because I’ll get myself in trouble. But thanks to the crowd for a great event, thanks for sticking through the weather. I still like Silverstone even if I don’t like it today. Thanks for coming out everyone.”

When speaking to media later on, the 24-year-old gave a further insight into his feelings about what had happened. “I thought the penalty was pretty bad but, anyway, I’m glad we had a quick car today, showed what I needed to prove, and it’s just disappointing when what you deserve gets taken from you, but that’s how it goes,” said Piastri.

“I hit the brakes, saw the Safety Car lights went off so I didn’t accelerate again, and Max [Verstappen] went past me which was a bit strange, and then I got a penalty for it so about as simple as that.” Pushed on what he would take from the weekend as a whole, Piastri responded: “The pace was good, I did everything I needed to, just didn’t get the result I deserved.”

‘Voiced his unhappiness’;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...qf1YCQVqHC2XT6


McLaren question British GP penalty after Oscar Piastri heartbreak
Oscar Piastri was issued a costly time penalty at the British Grand Prix following an infringement behind the safety car.
6 July 2025
Fergal Walsh & Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

McLaren has concluded the penalty was “very harsh” as it suggested the stewards should have taken certain factors into account. “I was actually taking another look at the data and the video before coming here [to speak to the media],” Stella said.

“I just wanted to take another look after the initial look that we took live during the race. I have to say that the penalty still looks very harsh. There are a few factors that we would have liked the stewards to take into account.”

“First of all, the safety car was called in very late, not leaving much time for the leader to actually restart in conditions in which you lose tyre temperature, you lose brake temperature, and the same was for everyone. The 50 bar [psi] is [brake] pressure that you see during a safety car when you do some braking and acceleration.”

‘Take another look after the initial look’;

https://racingnews365.com/mclaren-qu...tri-heartbreak


McLaren to launch review into Oscar Piastri’s ‘very harsh’ F1 British GP penalty
6 Jul 2025
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week

Stella seemed to hint that Verstappen may have contributed to the decision to penalise Piastri, intimating that drivers are able to make another’s move look worse than it actually was. “We’ll have to see also if other competitors kind of made the situation look worse than what it is,” he said, “because we know that as part of the race car with some competitors, definitely there’s also the ability to make others look like they are causing severe infringement when they are not.”

“So, a few things to review, but in itself now the penalty has been decided, has been served and we move on. We will see if there’s anything to learn on our side and I’m sure Oscar will use this motivation for being even more determined for the races to come and trying to win as many races as possible.”

‘McLaren to launch review’;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...sh-gp-penalty/

[Fortitude]

Lando Norris 'punishes' Oscar Piastri after 'worthless' Max Verstappen trip - International Media reacts.
Press from around the globe have responded to a captivating British Grand Prix, where Lando Norris won in front of his adoring fans at Silverstone after a contentious penalty for Oscar Piastri, and Nico Hulkenberg vanquished his demons.
7 July 2025
RacingNews365 Staff
RacingNews365

���� The Times - Faultless Norris punishes Piastri mistake to claim first Silverstone win: British broadsheet newspaper The Times focused on how home hero Norris capitalised on McLaren team-mate Piastri's 10-second time penalty.
���� De Telegraaf - Struggling Max Verstappen speaks of 'worthless race' in England: Dutch paper De Telegraaf zeroed in on national son Verstappen endured a difficult afternoon, slumping to 69 points behind Piastri in the drivers' title standings.

���� El País - Norris and Hulkenberg scare away ghosts at Silverstone: Spanish publication El País linked Norris and Hulkenberg and how both drivers were able to banish ghosts during the British Grand Prix.
���� The Washington Post - Oscar Piastri says he'll fuel his F1 title charge with 'frustration' at race-deciding penalty: United States-based newspaper The Washington Post addressed how Piastri plans on channelling the "frustration" of losing what looked to be a near-certain victory into his F1 drivers' championship charge.

���� Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung - "He has defeated the curse": German national newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung celebrated Hulkenberg's podium, hanging the article on the unwanted record he broke by securing his first podium finish in F1.
���� Herald Sun - Outrage as McLaren secret slips out over Oscar Piastri penalty: Australian tabloid the Herald Sun focused on an interesting hypothetical, one that, thankfully for McLaren, did not come to pass during the race at Silverstone.

‘International Media reacts’;

https://racingnews365.com/lando-norr...l-media-reacts


'Catastrophic' decisions - what doomed McLaren's rivals in British GP
Jul 8, 2025
Jon Noble, Scott Mitchell-Malm, Samarth Kanal
The Race

'Catastrophic' decision-making at Mercedes: It was little wonder that Wolff seemed a bit exasperated about how things had spiralled out of control from the off as it was left with just a 10th place finish at the end of it all. “I wouldn't say it was a snowball effect,” he said. “It was more like one action, the driver-pitwall action, triggered a situation that was already bad. We can keep it very simple: the second decision with Kimi was wrong, the third decision was wrong. And I think the driver-pitwall communication was just very bad today.”

Red Bull's Monza wing impossibility: The decision Red Bull made on Friday night to opt for a Monza-spec rear wing to help dial out some inherent understeer seemed to have been a genius move after qualifying. But the call would ultimately doom the squad as, with the weather forecast changing, there was no way a skinny rear wing was going to be any good in the wet where downforce is king.

Ferrari nowhere - 'really nowhere': Charles Leclerc was left in almost disbelief about how his British Grand Prix had gone off the rails after joining Russell as one of the early stoppers for slicks. If it was bad for Leclerc, who feels more comfortable with an oversteery car, you can suspect it was even worse for Hamilton who has never liked it when things get too snappy.

'Catastrophic';

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/c...in-british-gp/


Oscar Piastri slammed for one ‘really ridiculous’ action beyond his ‘very stupid’ British Grand Prix penalty
8 July 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Mike Hezemans believes Piastri only has himself to blame given Red Bull unsuccessfully protested George Russell’s Canadian GP win after a similar safety car restart. Yet Hezemans does question the penalty given to Piastri, who finished the British GP 6.812s behind Norris. He told RacingNews365: “That’s always the question, what kind of punishment do you give for it? I think he just made a mistake. And it’s actually stupid because it’s happened a few times now. It also happened in Canada, so you know they pay attention to that.

“I think it’s very stupid of Piastri to do it like that… But then I think it’s even more stupid. I find it very difficult to determine what you should give then. I expected five seconds. That’s what I expected, because for that kind of thing they often give five seconds.” But what Hezemans really took issue with at Silverstone was Piastri asking McLaren to swap his and Norris’ positions for the lead of the 2025 British GP if the Woking squad agreed with the Australian that his penalty for the safety car restart was not fair having cost him the win.

“What I found really ridiculous, and also a bit weak, was the radio from Piastri to the team,” Hezemans added. “Come on. I understand it because, of course, you try everything. But I thought it was a bit of a sign of weakness. Just try to drive away those 10 seconds and then do everything. It is what it is.”

‘One ‘really ridiculous’ action’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/osc...-prix-penalty/


Lewis Hamilton makes ‘no confidence’ admission on Ferrari SF-25
8 Jul 2025
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

“We lost a lot of places through strategy,” Hamilton told Sky F1. “I’m not really sure how I was P4 and then I came out P8, so that made life very difficult. I got stuck behind those three cars [Pierre Gasly, Hulkenberg and Stroll] for a long period of time.”

“Then I stopped early in hope for a big undercut, and geez, it was so tricky. This car does not like these conditions at all. So, big snap and wide in Turn 3, it lost me a ton of time. Then I had a wide at… Lot’s of mistakes. Not a good day. It’s the worst feeling,” he said, “it’s not a great feeling. “It’s when you just can’t sit back and just be confident that you can lean on the rear end. When it’s constantly snapping, you just have no confidence.”

“So the ultimate goal is to try and build up confidence in the car and then get faster and faster. But every time, it’s like building a wall and then knocking it down, building a wall, knocking it down. So when you can’t build that confidence, then you’re not really going anywhere. You’re kind of in no man’s land. So, that’s kind of how it felt for most of the race.”

‘No confidence’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/lewis-...f-25-admission


Sauber Team Principal Jonathan Wheatley Hails Nico Hulkenberg’s “Most Overdue Podium in F1 History” at British GP
July 8, 2025
James Rees
F1 Chronicle

Sauber Team Principal Jonathan Wheatley has praised Nico Hulkenberg’s remarkable performance at the British Grand Prix, describing the German’s podium finish as “the most overdue podium in F1 history.” Hulkenberg, who previously held the record for the most Formula 1 starts without a podium, finally ended that streak on Sunday with a flawless drive in challenging conditions.

“Where do I start… The most overdue podium in F1 history and the first podium for the team since Japan in 2012,” Wheatley said after the race. “This was a weekend of highs and lows but, ultimately, we pulled it all together and when the opportunity was there, we grabbed it with both hands.”

“Where do I start…”;

https://f1chronicle.com/sauber-team-...at-british-gp/


Fresh Red Bull hope despite British GP downforce gamble backfire
8 Jul 2025
Matthew Somerfield
PlanetF1.com

The new parts appear to have helped extract some performance from the RB21, albeit Max Verstappen isn’t sure, yet, the magnitude of the gains that can be attributed to it.

“I’m not sure, of course, how much it did [make a difference], but for sure, it brought something, you know, and I’m happy, of course, with any kind of upgrade that we get on the car. And you know, we just keep learning, keep trying to be better and take it race by race, what we can do.”

‘Magnitude of the gains’;

https://www.planetf1.com/features/re...s-show-promise


Alonso rues ‘very wrong’ strategy calls at Silverstone
July 8, 2025
Formula One - Official Site

“Quite disappointing race for us to be honest, starting P7, finish P9," Alonso said after the race. "It feels like we lost an opportunity to score more points but we got it wrong today, very wrong with the strategy and this can happen in a messy race.”

“Last week, a one-stop in Austria was the right call to score more points than what we deserve probably and today we were a little unlucky so hopefully the next race we have an opportunity in mixed conditions, we get it right.”

“Lost an opportunity”;

https://www.formula1.com/en/latest/a...lkDJBB2rzu00R3

[Fortitude]

Christian Horner loses Red Bull job as final key ally ‘had enough’ after attending F1 race in person.
It’s believed that he lost the support of one final key ally in recent weeks, which led to Horner being sacked as Red Bull team principal.
9 July 2025
Ben Evans
F1 Oversteer

Christian Horner has been relieved of his duties as Red Bull Racing team principal after 20 years in charge. Red Bull Racing made their Formula 1 debut in 2005 at the Australian Grand Prix and have enjoyed almost unparalleled success under the leadership of Christian Horner. Yoovidhya and Mateschitz attended the Austrian Grand Prix, but witnessed a catastrophic race weekend for the team. A report from De Telegraaf suggests that Yoovidhya ‘had enough’ of Horner’s tenure after the race, with the Briton ‘never considering resigning’ at any point.

Verstappen could only qualify seventh and was taken out by Andrea Kimi Antonelli on the opening lap. Tsunoda finished last and repeated that feat at Silverstone, failing to get out of Q1 and then picking up a penalty for crashing into Franco Colapinto. In the past, it’s been suggested that Verstappen would only stay at Red Bull if Horner left. That might have been a motivating factor as to why Yoovidhya finally lost faith in Horner, and it’s up to Laurent Mekies to turn the ship around and help Red Bull return to the top of the standings.

‘Relieved of his duties’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/chr...ace-in-person/


Our verdict on Red Bull's bombshell Horner sacking
Jul 9, 2025
The Race

Horner built a new F1 powerhouse, Mark Hughes: He is the person largely responsible for turning Mateschitz's benevolence and enthusiasm into solid gold F1 success, with a focus, determination and shrewd racing smarts, gathering all the right people around him to create a new F1 power.

Something had to give, Gary Anderson: I was at Silverstone last Friday when Horner went on the public stage. I was sitting with Edd Straw doing my trackside piece and could hear him; it was in front of everyone, the swearing was incredible. There were kids there and I said to Edd, 'There is something going down there - that is not the language a team principal should be using'. Perhaps Horner knew about his future then.

This has been coming, Scott Mitchell-Malm: Between power struggles, high-profile exits, personal scandal and a fallout with star driver Max Verstappen's father Jos, Horner has been dodging bullets left, right and centre for the best part of three years now. And while it wasn't obvious in terms of results given how Red Bull dominated 2023, the team has been fighting a decline during that time. It has not just slipped from that 2023 peak, it has tumbled down the other side.

‘A clean break, Edd Straw. A move to keep hold of Verstappen? Jon Noble. Horner's early mastery of F1 politics, Glenn Freeman. A short-term nightmare, Jack Benyon’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/o...f1-exit-shock/


Brundle left shocked by Horner's 'out of the blue' Red Bull dismissal
9 Jul 2025
Toby Nixon
GPblog.com

Martin Brundle has admitted that he has been left 'quite sad' after Christian Horner's Red Bull Racing dismissal. Former F1 driver and Sky Sports F1 analyst Martin Brundle has since reacted to the news, admitting that he is quite shocked. Brundle reacts to Horner's 'out of the blue' sacking.

"It's completely out of the blue, given things that are going on and the problems in the team, words you're getting, and out of Team Verstappen and others," Brundle stated to Sky Sports F1. "I'm quite sad about it, if I'm honest. I consider Christian a friend, and he's done an incredible job there for 20 years, won an awful lot of races and world championships for drivers and for the team."

"He took it from what was the Stewart team through Jaguar, and it's struggles to a massive campus in Milton Keynes and an awful lot of success and a huge trophy cabinet." Despite the success, Brundle also knows that things haven't been 'rosy' in the Red Bull camp. "But it hasn't been difficult to feel in the Formula One paddock and to observe and hear things that things were not particularly rosy."

'Out of the blue';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/brund...bull-dismissal


Max Verstappen had a ‘final standoff’ with Red Bull’s CEO before Christian Horner was kicked out of the team
9 July 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

According to Motorsport Italy, Verstappen and Horner have never ‘definitely resolved’ the internal disagreements that emerged last year. And it all came to a head behind the scenes. Verstappen was involved in a ‘final standoff’ with Red Bull’s CEO Oliver Mintzlaff, who ultimately agreed to fire the team boss. F1-Insider add that his camp had been ‘increasingly demanding’ the move as an emphatic response to the team’s struggles.

The crucial context here, of course, is that Verstappen has been negotiating with Mercedes over a potential Red Bull exit. But this could well change the landscape. There was a suggestion that Verstappen was using his Mercedes talks as leverage. And that now appears to have some substance.

Indeed, Motorsport Italy say the distinct ‘possibility’ of the 27-year-old joining the Silver Arrows prompted Mintzlaff to act. Red Bull effectively chose Verstappen over Horner. And F1-Insider say that this is an ‘important signal’ to Verstappen that the team will do ‘everything they can’ to keep him happy. Thus, while Horner’s relationship with Wolff has been strained, this looks like a significant blow to the Mercedes boss.

‘Final standoff’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/max...t-of-the-team/


Verstappen's manager responds to Horner's sudden dismissal from Red Bull
9 Jul 2025
Toby Nixon
Nicole Mulder
GPblog.com

Following Christian Horner’s dismissal as team principal of Red Bull Racing, Max Verstappen’s manager, Raymond Vermeulen, has commented on the situation. He emphasised that the decision was made internally by Red Bull GmbH and stated that the Verstappen camp is staying out of the matter.

Verstappen's manager Vermeulen reacts to Horner's dismissal. Vermeulen has confirmed that he was informed by the top management of Red Bull. “We were briefed in advance by Red Bull’s management that this decision had been made,” Vermeulen is quoted by De Telegraaf. “It's up to Red Bull to provide further explanation regarding the reasons. We continue to focus on the sporting side and are looking for more performance, so we can return to the top. In that regard, nothing changes.”

On Wednesday morning, it was announced that Christian Horner was relieved of his duties after more than twenty years. The decision came after consultations between shareholders Chalerm Yoovidhya and Mark Mateschitz, along with Red Bull’s head of sport, Oliver Mintzlaff. Red Bull has been underperforming this season, currently sitting fourth in the Constructors’ Championship. The team has also experienced a wave of high-profile departures, including Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley, and Will Courtenay.

‘Verstappen camp is staying out of the matter’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/verst...-from-red-bull


Who is Red Bull Racing's new team principal Laurent Mekies?
9th Jul 2025
Toby Lock
Sports Editor, MK Citizen

Mekies’ F1 career began in 2000 when he worked with Arrows - once of Milton Keynes - before first moving to Faenza with Minardi in 2001. During his time with the team, he worked as a race engineer for future Red Bull star Mark Webber, as well as Justin Wilson, Zsolt Baumgartner and Christian Albers.

Minardi was bought by Red Bull at the end of 2005 and renamed Scuderia Toro Rosso, and Mekies was promoted to be the team’s chief engineer. There, he oversaw the team’s finest moment when Sebastian Vettel - another future Red Bull ace - won the Italian Grand Prix in 2008.

Mekies takes over just a few months ahead of F1’s sweeping rules changes for the 2026 season and beyond, and Red Bull’s formal partnership with Ford coming into force.

‘Mekies’ F1 career began in 2000 when he worked with Arrows’;

https://www.miltonkeynes.co.uk/sport...mekies-5215906

[Fortitude]

Ecclestone stunned by Horner firing: ‘It's like he's murdered somebody’.
Former Formula 1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone has expressed disbelief at Red Bull’s decision to fire Christian Horner with immediate effect, calling the move sudden, drastic, and inexplicable without more serious underlying reasons.
10/07/2025
Phillip van Osten
F1i.com

"I spoke to him the day before [on Monday] and he didn't know. Well, he might have known, but he didn't tell me,” he said. "It was a normal conversation. We were talking about Max. Nothing to do with this, otherwise he would have told me."

“All I know is the message the whole world has got, which is, he's been fired, effective immediately,” he said. “It's the effective immediately I don't understand. Why would they ask him to leave with immediate effect? It's like he's murdered somebody.” Ecclestone argued that if the decision had been based purely on performance, a more measured approach would typically be expected.

“You can understand, if you're going to fire somebody, then you'd have a chat before and you'd come out with something like, 'We've agreed to part company', or something’. But to come out and say, 'You're fired with immediate effect', he must have done something a bit drastic for that to happen. It must be something very serious, in my opinion,” Ecclestone added.

‘Bernie Ecclestone has expressed disbelief’;

https://f1i.com/news/543805-ecclesto...-somebody.html


‘Something’s going on’: Final snub that sunk boot into Horner... and moment house of cards fell
July 10th, 2025
Jacob Polychronis
Fox Sports (Australia)

When it was all said and done, every awkward and torturous second finally out of the way, the entire floor of Red Bull workers erupted with sustained applause for the man who led them for two decades.

Some reports place the length of that ovation for now-sacked Red Bull Racing boss Christian Horner at five minutes with the employees, who three years ago grieved the death of company founder Dietrich Mateschitz, suddenly plunged into a different type of grief. But it was grief all the same, for Red Bull Racing has been changed forever in a way that remains to be seen.

Unceremoniously, too. Horner has offered few words publicly since news broke of his abrupt departure. The few words he has used, however, have made it abundantly clear that he was blindsided by the bombshell decision. His farewell speech at Milton Keynes, which leaked hours after Red Bull confirmed the sacking, speak to this fact.

‘Something’s going on’;

https://www.foxsports.com.au/motorsp...3d5d960af551fe


How Christian Horner’s final day at Red Bull unfolded
July 10th, 2025
Jack Oliver Smith
Motorsport Week

Christian Horner’s final day as Team Principal of the Red Bull Formula 1 team has been revealed, amid an emotional farewell speech given to employees at its Milton Keynes base. Late on Wednesday evening, details of Horner’s final speech at the team’s HQ were released, saying watching the team grow had “been the biggest privilege in my life.” David Croft, lead commentator for Sky Sports F1, has revelead how the speech sent ripples through the gathering of staff present.

“From those that we’ve managed to speak to, it is a unified sense of disappointment and sadness at a man that they see has unified their team, who was never afraid to sit and have a chat to various people no matter what they did for the organisation,” he said. “The speech that Christian Horner gave this morning to the factory we understand was hugely emotional.”

“Christian himself was very emotional, and broke down on occasion. He received a massive ovation at the end of that speech from a workforce that are very loyal to him, because he has helped bring success, bonuses and world championship glory in terms of 14 world titles during his time as Team Principal.”

“Been the biggest privilege in my life”;

https://www.motorsportweek.com/2025/...bull-unfolded/


Revealed: 'Difficult' Christian Horner's 'heated argument' with Max Verstappen's dad, days before Red Bull sacking, as key document suggests the real reason behind Geri Haliwell's husband's axeing
10 July 2025
TAMARA PRENN
MailOnline

Christian Horner and Max Verstappen's father Jos were allegedly caught up in a heated exchange at the British Grand Prix just days before the former Red Bull team principal was dismissed, Ralf Schumacher has claimed. 'There was another argument or a heated exchange, at least visually and verbally between Jos Verstappen, Christian Horner and the press officer,' Schumacher told Boxengasse-podcast, via the Sun. 'You could see that Jos was anything but happy with the situation.'

'Heated argument';

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...chumacher.html


Verstappen made a lightning visit to the Netherlands on a private Jet
10 Jul 2025
Tobia Elia
Tim Kraaij
GPblog.com

The Formula 1 world was in turmoil due to the dismissal of Christian Horner, but Max Verstappen made a lightning visit to Netherlands. What was the reason for his visit? On Tuesday morning, data from Max Verstappen’s private jet showed he flew to the Netherlands. The four-time Formula 1 world champion departed from Nice and landed at Aarlanderveen Airport in South Holland. The visit was brief.

At the end of Tuesday, Verstappen left for home. Verstappen took off from Nes aan de Amstel, in North Holland, to eventually land again in Nice, near his home in Monaco. However, Verstappen didn't stay home for long as he departed on Wednesday morning to a yet unknown destination.

The trip to the Netherlands came at a time when the Formula 1 world was in turmoil due to the dismissal of Max Verstappen's team boss Christian Horner. On Tuesday, it was revealed that Horner had been dismissed by Red Bull, though Verstappen was already informed. According to manager Raymond Vermeulen, Red Bull had already briefed the star driver.

‘What was the reason for his visit?’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/lifestyle/...-a-private-jet


Adrian Newey was right all along about Red Bull’s biggest problem and Christian Horner sacking proves it
10 July 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Adrian Newey warned that Red Bull were going ‘stale’ after he left. Newey left Red Bull for multiple reasons. There was a genuine desire for a new challenge after nearly two decades in Milton Keynes, where he’d won eight constructors’ championships.

But Newey’s relationship with Horner also suffered, partly because the engineer felt he wasn’t getting enough credit for the team’s success. Speaking on the High Performance Podcast last year, he hinted that the team was becoming ‘a little bit stale’ 20 years into the same regime.

Based on Red Bull’s trajectory since – they have won only two races in 2025 and are on course for their worst championship position in 10 years – these concerns were justified. Newey seemed to sense that a refresh was required.

‘Adrian Newey was right all along’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/features...ing-proves-it/


Verstappen's In-Laws Spill: 'He's driving for Mercedes next year!'
10 Jul 2025
Savannah Lenz
Kevin Doldersum

After Christian Horner's departure from Red Bull Racing, calm has yet to return. A potential move by Max Verstappen to Mercedes is still not entirely off the table. Nelson Piquet Junior let slip more than he intended. Piquet Junior discussed Mercedes' chances in 2026 during the Pelas Pistas Podcast. He said;
"There are weekends this year when things just don't work out. There's not much to do about it. One of their drivers is a rookie, who was then unfortunately hit by Hadjar last weekend. In any case, it was not the weekend for Mercedes. But who knows what next year might bring when Max is driving there!"

Piquet seemed to misspeak, as he immediately shut up after this statement. However, the podcast host immediately picked up on it. Although the 39-year-old emphasised that nothing has been contractually established yet, he did highlight that Mercedes is a logical choice.

“But who knows what next year might bring when Max is driving there!";

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/verst...edes-next-year

[Fortitude]

Herbert after Horner's dismissal: 'The Verstappen family now has everything they wanted'.
In recent weeks, there has also been a lot of talk about a possible departure of Verstappen from Red Bull. Herbert is not yet convinced that Horner's dismissal is enough to keep the Dutchman at the team.
9 Jul 2025
Luke-John Buckle
Cas van de Kleut
GPblog.com

Johnny Herbert: "The Verstappen family has everything they wanted now, but I'm not sure if that's enough. "There's still a lot of work to be done at Red Bull. It could take four years before the team is back in a good position, winning races again. The rumour mill is still turning regarding Max's switch to Mercedes next season. And I think this is another sign of Red Bull falling back.”

GPblog knows that a switch for Verstappen is still not out of the question. Although one of the wishes of the Dutchman and his entourage has been fulfilled with Horner's departure. Despite that, the Verstappen camp hopes to see an improvement soon, with an eye on 2026. If this does not happen, then a departure could still be possible.

'The Verstappen family now has everything they wanted';

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/herbe...ng-they-wanted


Christian Horner’s demise: A fight with Max Verstappen’s dad ends in tears
10 Jul 2025
Tom Cary
WA Today

After 20 years, eight driver’s titles, six constructors’ titles and 124 race wins, it all ended with a tearful speech in front of the entire workforce at Red Bull Racing factory in Milton Keynes on Wednesday morning.

Well, not the entire workforce. It is understood Red Bull chief Oliver Mintzlaff and motorsport advisor Helmut Marko decided to stay in the Racing Bulls factory next door…

‘Max Verstappen’s dad’;

https://www.watoday.com.au/sport/mot...10-p5mdur.html


Christian Horner wasn’t the only Red Bull employee who incurred Jos Verstappen’s wrath at Silverstone
11 July 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Jos Verstappen was furious with Red Bull communications director Paul Smith. Horner wasn’t the only Red Bull employee who was sacked this week. Chief marketing and commercial officer Oliver Hughes and director of communications Paul Smith were also relieved of their duties.

According to a report from The Telegraph, who have spoken to ‘multiple witnesses’, Jos Verstappen had a ‘heated row’ with Smith in the garage. His son had just fallen from pole position to fifth in the race. He was apparently furious over Smith’s briefings to the media. Along with Hughes, he was a ‘staunch’ ally of Horner.

‘Jos Verstappen had a ‘heated row’ with Smith in the garage’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/chr...t-silverstone/


Christian Horner’s tension with Jos Verstappen part of exit – Gunther Steiner
10 July 2025
Philip Duncan
Yahoo! Sport

Christian Horner’s sour relationship with Max Verstappen’s father Jos played a role in the Red Bull team principal’s sudden dismissal, former Formula One team boss Gunther Steiner has claimed. Former Haas team principal Steiner said: “There was open criticism, it was not hearsay. Jos openly critiqued the management of Red Bull, mainly Christian, so we were all fully aware that relationship wasn’t good.

“Max is the best driver at the moment and has got a big say in the team, so if he didn’t get on, or his father didn’t get on with Christian, for sure, that played a role in it.” Steiner, who was speaking to talkSPORT, continued: “It’s difficult, because to have somebody like Max, you want to keep him, and you don’t give this power in a day.

“A driver like this grabs his power, because he knows his value for the team and you can see at Red Bull, the second driver has scored very few points, they cannot do it. Max put himself in this position to have a lot of say in the team because he is the biggest asset they have got at the moment.”

‘Christian Horner’s tension with Jos Verstappen part of exit’;

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/chr...104449326.html


What Happened Between Verstappen & Red Bull Before Horner Sacking
10 Jul 2025
James Mclean
Give Me Sport

Max Verstappen took to social media on Wednesday afternoon to pay a public tribute to Christian Horner in the wake of the 51-year-old's sacking after 20 years as Red Bull team principal. The four-time world champion was quick to praise Horner for all that they had achieved together with the Austrian side. However, reports suggest that the 27-year-old had far more to do with Horner's exit than he may admit.

A report from Motorsport Italy confirmed that Max was just as unhappy with the situation as his father. The outlet stated that the issues between Max and Horner were "never resolved" fully. As a result of the breakdown in their relationship, Verstappen reportedly demanded that either Horner be let go or that his power be reduced within the Red Bull set-up. Horner seemingly refused any attempts to restructure the management of the team during the British Grand Prix weekend.

Apparently enraged by Horner's stubborness, Max took the decision to escalate matters to Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff. In what was described as a 'final showdown', Verstappen demanded that a new team principal be appointed, or he would walk away from the team. Verstappen was said to have used reports linking him with a move to the Silver Arrows as leverage in the discussions, while also citing Red Bull's dismal current form as a reason why Horner needed to be axed.

‘Max Verstappen demanded that a new team principal be appointed, or he would walk away from the team’;

https://www.givemesport.com/what-max...ll-sacking-f1/


Did Verstappen fly to Milton Keynes for urgent crisis meeting at Red Bull?
11 July 2025
Tobia Elia
Tim Kraaij
GPblog.com

Is it time for a crisis meeting at Red Bull Racing? Following Christian Horner’s dismissal, it certainly seems that way—and Max Verstappen has flown to the factory. When the news of Christian Horner's dismissal came out on Wednesday morning, Max Verstappen had just landed in the Netherlands. The four-time world champion was back in his home country for a quick visit, only to return to his residence in Monaco by evening.

A day later, Verstappen left again with his private jet to a new destination: Milton Keynes. The city where the Red Bull Racing headquarters is located and the place where Verstappen was just last weekend for the British Grand Prix.

In Milton Keynes, Verstappen, who was briefed about the dismissal beforehand according to Raymond Vermeulen, meets a new team principal. Laurent Mekies is the new man at the helm of Red Bull Racing. Mekies is not a stranger to Verstappen. The Frenchman previously worked at Red Bull as team principal of Racing Bulls.

‘New destination: Milton Keynes’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/lifestyle/...ng-at-red-bull


Where Horner's exit leaves Verstappen's Red Bull future
Jul 10, 2025
Jon Noble
The Race

Despite some clear tensions between the Verstappen camp and Horner over the past 18 months, to think that getting rid of Red Bull’s long-serving team boss guarantees its star driver stays for the long-haul is naive. For there is something that Verstappen himself views as critical to where he drives in the future that has absolutely nothing to do with who is the team boss.

It is quite simply that he wants to have the fastest car underneath him. The situation is really no more complicated than that. So from Red Bull's perspective, its ultimate task has not changed one bit despite the change of team boss. It still has to deliver Verstappen a competitive enough challenger, which he does not have at the moment.

Few would argue against the fact that were Red Bull to lose Verstappen, it would be a body blow to the squad. But despite rampant speculation about a shock switch to a rival this winter, it is understood a move elsewhere for 2026 remains unlikely. With a new rules cycle coming into play, and huge uncertainty about how each of the major teams is going to perform, it is ultimately too much of a gamble to commit to anyone else right now.

‘Verstappen's Red Bull future’;

https://www.the-race.com/formula-1/w...ull-f1-future/


Max Verstappen F1 future decision date revealed by brother-in-law
11 July 2025
Daan Daniels & Nick Golding
RacingNews365

A move elsewhere has been linked due to Verstappen having several exit clauses which can be activated this summer. If he does move, Mercedes is the likely option, as outlined by Piquet. "It was not Mercedes' weekend [at Silverstone]. Maybe Max will be there next year," Piquet Jr. said on the Pelas Pistas podcast.

"Oops, is that right?", Piquet Jr. was asked by the podcast's presenter, to which the former Renault F1 driver back-stepped, "No, because they talk to everybody, everybody knows that, right? But it's an option, everybody knows that anyway."

According to the Brazilian, Verstappen will decide whether to stick with Red Bull or leave the Austrian outfit next month. "I think he will make a decision in August," revealed Piquet, before adding his thoughts on what the 27-year-old will opt to do, "He will change."

‘Decision date revealed by brother-in-law’;

https://racingnews365.com/max-versta...-date-revealed

[Fortitude]

Max Verstappen and Toto Wolff are holding 'SECRET TALKS in Sardinia' over Mercedes move, claims Ralf Schumacher.
Schumacher claims Verstappen will announce his decision 'during the summer break' and that secretive talks between Mercedes principal Wolff and Verstappen are being held in Sardinia.
11 July 2025
ADAM POGRUND
MailOnline

'It's no coincidence that two boats are sailing off Sardinia this week,' he told the Formel1.de YouTube channel. 'One belongs to Toto Wolff, and the other to Max Verstappen. I could imagine them having a coffee together sometime.'

Following Schumacher's comments, Verstappen private jet was reportedly tracked to the Italian island. Mercedes principal Wolff refused to rule out a move ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix last month.

'SECRET TALKS’;

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/fo...oto-Wolff.html


Max Verstappen's family member drops huge bombshell to leave podcast host stunned after Christian Horner sacking
Christian Horner was sacked by Red Bull Racing this week.
11 Jul 2025
Marcus Chan
SPORTbible

Speaking recently, Nelson Piquet Jr, who is the uncle of Verstappen's daughter, dropped a huge bombshell about the Dutchman's future. He said on the Pelas Pistas Podcast: "There are weekends this year when things just don't work out. There's not much to do about it."

"One of their drivers is a rookie, who was then unfortunately hit by Hadjar last weekend. In any case, it was not the weekend for Mercedes. But who knows what next year might bring when Max is driving there! He will race in Formula 1 in 2026. I think he will make a decision by August." Piquet immediately went quiet after that sentence, but the podcast host had already picked up on the comment.

Although he admitted that nothing has been contractually confirmed, Piquet stated that Mercedes is a logical choice if Verstappen were to leave Red Bull. When asked who would be Verstappen's teammate at Mercedes if the blockbuster move does go ahead, Piquet said: "It will be Kimi Antonelli. If he goes there, it will be Antonelli."

‘Huge bombshell’;

https://www.sportbible.com/f1/max-ve...15993-20250711


HERD MENTALITY OVER RED BULL ‘CALAMITOUS’ PERFORMANCES
July 11, 2025
thejudge13

As the dust settles on the revolution under way in Milton Keynes, a huge array of reasoning is being assembled as to why Christian Horner was sacked. The reason his departure is so shocking is that the timing is less than ideal as the biggest change in F1 regulations is coming just months away.

Horner was the hero beat at Red Bull Racing and cutting off the head of the tight knit organisation at this time may well lead to disastrous results. The staff who spoke to Sky F1 just hours after they heard their leader tell them he had been sacked by men in grey suits in Austria were to a person, “emotional” and “angry.”

TJ13 has learned around some 100 Red Bull employee CV’s have already landed in Cadillac’s inbox as the brain drain for real is surely about to start in proper. Much has been made of a number of senior staff leaving Red Bull in recent years, with the high profile Adrian Newey cited as the prime example as he joined Aston Martin this season.

‘Some 100 Red Bull employee CV’s have already landed in Cadillac’s inbox’;

https://thejudge13.com/2025/07/11/he...-performances/


'No coincidence': Tracking data fuels rumours of Max Verstappen's secret meeting with Mercedes boss Toto Wolff
July 12, 2025
Damien McCartney
Channel 9's Wide World of Sports

Max Verstappen's rumoured move to Mercedes has gathered more strength after a wild theory of a secret meeting with Toto Wolff was bolstered by internet sleuths. Former driver Ralf Schumacher earlier this week said two yachts owned separately by Verstappen and the Mercedes boss were both off the coast of Sardinia.

On Friday night (AEST), the Flight Radar website tracked Verstappen's private jet landing on the Italian island. "It's no coincidence either that this week, two yachts are cruising off Sardinia – one belongs to Toto Wolff, the other to Max Verstappen," Schumacher told Formel1.de this week.

It's believed Schumacher made the comments before Christian Horner's shock axing on Wednesday night (AEST). Although speculation is rife, it's not yet clear if Horner's dismissal has any direct connection to Verstappen's contract.

‘Tracking data fuels rumours’;

https://www.nine.com.au/sport/motors...12-p5mefm.html


Damon Hill shares his biggest ‘doubt’ about Red Bull’s future after Christian Horner sacking
10 July 2025
Tyler Rowlinson
F1 Oversteer

Damon Hill has ‘doubt’ that Red Bull will not have the ‘great new beginning’ after sacking Christian Horner. News of Horner’s sacking came almost out of nowhere and left fans and pundits alike stunned. Bernie Ecclestone does not understand why Horner was sacked with immediate effect, stating that something must have gone horribly wrong for this drastic decision to be made.

Damon Hill was left questioning if this was the right decision. Writing via X (formerly Twitter), he doubts whether Red Bull will have the ‘great new beginning’ they hope for after making such a drastic change. “CH enjoyed massive support from the team he built. I really doubt if a replacement will be able to fill those boots. This might not be the great new beginning some are hoping for. A Palace Coup rarely has good outcomes. But it will be a huge story for F1, seeing how this goes.” said Hill.

“CH enjoyed massive support from the team he built. I really doubt if a replacement will be able to fill those boots”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/dam...orner-sacking/


Christian Horner and his ‘loyal followers’ may now put together a ‘package’ to buy Red Bull F1 rivals
11 July 2025
Ashley Hambly
F1 Oversteer

Christian Horner ‘might wish’ to return to F1 in new colours with ‘loyal followers’. On JoeBlogsF1, journalist Joe Saward thinks Horner’s best next step would be to go down the ownership route in F1 due to the ever-expanding growth that the sport is experiencing.

“Now is the perfect time to own a Formula 1 team,” he wrote. “They are making money and their valuations are increasing with every passing month. “I can imagine that Horner might wish to put together a consortium and buy another team. The loyal followers would go with him.” Buying an F1 team won’t be difficult for Christian Horner if he has a ‘credible package’

If Horner did want to go down the route of purchasing an F1 team or starting from scratch, his 20-year stint at Red Bull will make him a standout candidate for struggling teams. As the first and, until recently, only team principal of the Austrian racing outfit, the Brit enjoyed periods of great success with the team, highlighted by eight Drivers’ Championships and six Constructors’ Championships.

‘Horner might wish to put together a consortium and buy another team’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/chr...ull-f1-rivals/


Green Notebook from Marsh Gibbon
July 11, 2025
Joe Saward

When the news broke of Horner’s departure on Wednesday. It was a massive surprise. With 20 and a half years in charge of Red Bull Racing, Christian was the longest-serving of them all, by a considerable margin. Toto Wolff has been in charge at Mercedes since 2012, but after him the team principal who has been in the job longest is Andrea Stella -and he has been there for just two and a half years. The others are all newer than that. One would be forgiven for thinking that being an F1 team principal is like being a football manager.
I fear that the removal of Horner will not be good news for the team. Red Bull Racing is in many respects Horner Racing. He built it and made it successful. Red Bull paid for it. This in part is one of the reasons for the change. Those in charge in Austria do not like the fact that Horner can be viewed as more important than they are. When Dietrich Mateschitz was still alive, there was never much politics. Mateschitz trusted Horner and Christian was in charge. He oversaw 14 World Championships, helping Sebastian Vettel and Max Verstappen to multiple titles. Success came in cycles, but when times were hard in 2015 and Red Bull failed to win a race, Mateschitz kept his faith in Horner. This paid off. In 2022 Red Bull won 21 of 22 races – a 95.45 percent record, which was even more successful that McLaren’s famous 1988 season, when Ayrton Senna and Alain Prost won 15 of 16 races.

Laurent Mekies is a good guy, but winning over the hearts and minds of Horner Racing will not be easy – and there are no shortage of jobs for experienced people to go to in motorsport valley. Those who have seen how the new Red Bull management has dealt with Horner, may prefer not to stay. I think that those who pushed Horner out will soon regret it and one can only wonder what Mateschitz would have thought of there antics of his successors. People who fiddle with F1 teams without understanding what they are doing create the Alpines of tomorrow.

‘Those who pushed Horner out will soon regret it’;

https://joesaward.wordpress.com/2025...-marsh-gibbon/

[Fortitude]

Jos Verstappen delivered ominous seven-word warning to Christian Horner in final argument at Red Bull.
Addressing Horner, he reportedly said: “I’ll keep the pressure on you, Christian.”
12 July 2025
David Comerford
F1 Oversteer

Jos Verstappen told Christian Horner he’d keep him under ‘pressure’. There was a clear sign at the British Grand Prix, which proved to be Horner’s last race in charge, that the two were still at odds. As reported by Bild, among others, they were involved in a heated argument in the garage after the race.

Verstappen clashed with Horner ally Paul Smith, who’s since been removed as communications chief, over his media briefings. It’s said that he ‘gestured wildly and pointed his finger’ at Smith. Those remarks have now taken on an added significance given that Horner was removed only days later. It’s said that the former F1 driver had been calling for his dismissal.

‘Jos Verstappen delivered ominous seven-word warning’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jos...t-at-red-bull/


Christian Horner’s tension with Jos Verstappen part of exit – Gunther Steiner
10 July 2025
Philip Duncan, PA F1 Correspondent
Yahoo! Sport

Christian Horner’s sour relationship with Max Verstappen’s father Jos played a role in the Red Bull team principal’s sudden dismissal, former Formula One team boss Gunther Steiner has claimed. Former Haas team principal Steiner said: “There was open criticism, it was not hearsay. Jos openly critiqued the management of Red Bull, mainly Christian, so we were all fully aware that relationship wasn’t good.

“Max is the best driver at the moment and has got a big say in the team, so if he didn’t get on, or his father didn’t get on with Christian, for sure, that played a role in it.” But Steiner added: “He was there 20 years. I know how stressful it is to run a team and the last few years have been tough. He still gets paid, so he’s enjoying his gardening leave. He will not be desperate for a next job.”

‘Jos Verstappen part of exit’;

https://uk.sports.yahoo.com/news/chr...104449326.html


Jos Verstappen Criticizes Red Bull’s Performance Amid Son’s Decline
July 4, 2025
Saajan Jogia Newsweek
The Fresno Bee

Max Verstappen's father, Jos Verstappen, has criticized Red Bull for the drop in the RB21 F1 car's performance despite a new floor upgrade. Ferrari and McLaren have brought effective upgrades that enhanced performance in the Austrian GP. Max qualified for P7 at the Red Bull Ring after his flying lap was aborted due to yellow flags. Sunday's race ended for the four-time world champion with a DNF after Andrea Kimi Antonelli crashed into him on the opening lap.

Not only Max, but his teammate Yuki Tsunoda has also been struggling with the RB21 car as he finished the race in the last position. The Japanese driver's performance has notably dropped after being promoted to the Milton Keynes-based team early this season. Max called his father after the Austrian GP qualifying session, when Jos was attending to his rally driving duties in Belgium. Addressing the conversation they had on the phone, and pointing out Red Bull's performance concerns, Jos told Race Express:

"I have seen a little bit of qualifying. I saw the last lap when he got the yellow flags, but it didn't look fast enough. I already heard it on the phone, he said, 'Yeah, it's just not good enough.'" Addressing the updates brought in by other teams, Jos added: "Ferrari has brought a good update, we know that McLaren are always at the front and who else is in between? Mercedes is kind of in between, and I think the update that Red Bull brought doesn't make that much of a difference. You can see it in Tsunoda, too; he doesn't even reach Q2. So yeah, the speed has fallen from there."

‘Jos Verstappen Criticizes Red Bull’s Performance’;

https://www.fresnobee.com/sports/art...mainstage_card


Analysis | Horner is a plague for anyone who wants to sign Verstappen
12 Jul 2025
Ludo van Denderen
GPblog.com

Verstappen is known by now to be happy - or at least by those around him - that Horner is no longer working for Red Bull Racing. And switching to a team where Horner works seems hard to imagine. To be fair, it's highly unlikely that any team with ambitions to sign Verstappen at any point will sign Horner. And that must be a bitter pill to swallow for the former team principal.

‘Verstappen is known by now to be happy - or at least by those around him - that Horner is no longer working for Red Bull Racing’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/general/an...ign-verstappen


Nigel Mansell warns Red Bull after 'shock' Christian Horner exit
The F1 world has reacted all week to the departure of Christian Horner from Red Bull, with an F1 champion having now shared his view on the exit.
12 July 2025
Nick Golding
RacingNews365

1992 F1 world champion Nigel Mansell has warned Red Bull it faces a "struggle" following the "shock" exit of now former team principal Christian Horner. The news of Horner's departure came as a surprise to many, including Mansell, who had only been with the Briton in Silverstone where things seemed normal.

"I think just like the racing fans, I didn't know what Red Bull were doing so yeah it came as quite a shock and surprise," Mansell told aceodds. "I was with Red Bull and I spoke to Christian last weekend and there was no inference, no problems or anything. A bit of shock and a bit of horror really.”

"No one really has the facts and it would not be professional of me to try and make an opinion but all I can say is the magnificent job Christian Horner has done for 20 years is a testament to his skill and his dedication to the sport. That shouldn't be forgotten."

‘Red Bull it faces a "struggle" following the "shock" exit of now former team principal Christian Horner’;

https://racingnews365.com/nigel-mans...an-horner-exit


Red Bull driver 'in disbelief' after Horner’s shock departure: 'Will visit factory soon'
12 Jul 2025
Kimberley Hoefnagel
GPblog.com

Red Bull Racing staff were very surprised following the departure of Christian Horner as CEO and team principal of Max Verstappen's team. One of the 'insiders', Jake Dennis, confirms that it was a tough pill to swallow for the employees in Milton Keynes. Although Dennis has not been at the factory for a while, he expects a meeting with the new team boss.

Horner praised for 'exceptional' performances. Dennis had nothing but praise for the man who had been at the helm of Red Bull for over twenty years and was partly responsible for the team's numerous successes. "[I'm] Very surprised, but I think what he did for the sport, what he did for Red Bull was pretty exceptional and yeah, I wish him the best in whatever his next step is."

‘Tough pill to swallow for the employees in Milton Keynes’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/red-b...very-surprised

[Fortitude]

Hamilton in no-man's land at Silverstone, criticises Ferrari for woeful British GP.
A frustrated Hamilton said: "It's the worst feeling," regarding his Ferrari car's handling.
8 Jul 2025
Norberto Mujica
GPblog.com

"When it's constantly snapping you just have no confidence. The ultimate goal is to try and build up confidence in the car and get faster and faster over time. It's like building a wall and then knocking it down. When you can't build that confidence you're not really going anywhere. You're kind of in no man's land. That's how I felt for most of the race," the Briton said.

"We lost time and a lot of places through strategy," Hamilton complained. "I'm not really sure how I was P4 and came out P8. That made life very difficult. I got stuck behind three cars for a long time. Then I stopped early in the hope of a big undercut and jeez, it was so tricky. This car does not like these conditions at all. A big snap and I went wide in Turn Three and it lost me a ton of time. There was lots of mistakes. It was not a good day."

‘Woeful British GP’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/hamil...drivable-sf-25


Lewis Hamilton suffered as Ferrari’s car developed an unexpected ‘problem’ at the British Grand Prix
8 Jul 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Lewis Hamilton suffered in qualifying for the British GP as Ferrari’s engine failed to deliver. His target might even have been for a 10th British GP win after qualifying if Ferrari’s engine did not fail to deliver the power gain that the Scuderia expected when Hamilton turned his unit up for its Q3 setting. The seven-time champion missed out on pole position by 0.203s.

That is according to Motor Sport Magazine, which reports that Ferrari only recognised their power ‘problem’ after Hamilton engaged his engine’s Q3 mood. It was not evident in Q1 or Q2, when Hamilton and teammate Charles Leclerc posted the fastest laps during the stage. Hamilton led the Q2 timesheet with a 1:25.084, yet actually went slower in Q3 en route to his P5 result with a 1:25.095 time. Leclerc also only marginally improved his 1:25.133 time from Q2 with a 1:25.121 in Q3 to qualify in P6, as Max Verstappen scored pole for the British GP.

Hamilton managed to overcome his worse-than-hoped-for qualifying result and the wet-dry-wet-dry conditions to take P4 in the British GP. Yet he would have likely believed that his first podium with Ferrari was on the cards, at the least, with a better starting spot at Silverstone. Instead, the Stevenage native had to fight back and ultimately fell short of Hulkenberg after Ferrari gave Hamilton a set of soft compound tyres for his final stint that would not hold up. Sauber gifted Hulkenberg a set of medium compound tyres at his final stop on Lap 42 of 52.

‘Ferrari only recognised their power ‘problem’ after Hamilton engaged his engine’s Q3 mood’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/lew...sh-grand-prix/


Max Verstappen reign predicted to end despite 'superhuman' Silverstone show
It seems the end is nigh for Max Verstappen after four years as F1's No.1
9 Jul 2025
Ian Parkes
RacingNews365

Max Verstappen's reign as Formula 1 champion for the past four years has been predicted to end, notwithstanding what has been described as his "superhuman" qualifying performance at the British Grand Prix. In the eyes of three-time Le Mans winner Allan McNish, who currently serves as a senior consultant on Audi's F1 project, he feels what the Silverstone crowd witnessed on Saturday was one of the all-time great laps.

Verstappen, though, was unable to follow up in the difficult conditions in the grand prix, not least as the low-downforce rear wing on his RB21 was not suited to the wet conditions. After sliding off the track and falling from second to 10th at one stage, Verstappen recovered to fifth but is now 69 points adrift of Piastri at the halfway stage of the season.

"My personal feeling is that his reign of world championships is going to change hands at the end of the year," said McNish, speaking to RacingNews365. "The gap in performance, and the consistency of performance, is too big. I think what we did see, that performance on Saturday by Max Verstappen, sticking that car on pole position, that was superhuman. That was absolutely sensational.”

‘End is nigh for Max Verstappen’;

https://racingnews365.com/max-versta...lverstone-show


Red Bull dealt Max Verstappen ‘severe’ problem with their British Grand Prix upgrade that was ‘too effective’
9 Jul 2025
Kyle Archer
F1 Oversteer

Red Bull gave up on optimising their British Grand Prix floor upgrade on Max Verstappen’s car. Verstappen even spun exiting Stowe during the safety car restart on Lap 21, which let Norris regain second place having lost it back to his Red Bull rival after a slower pit stop. He slipped to P10 but climbed back into fifth place, albeit 56.781s behind as Norris won the British GP.

Red Bull’s decision to fit their low-downforce rear wing, then, proved to be a huge mistake in the wet conditions. But it was a decision the Milton Keynes crew made based on Verstappen lamenting his ‘severe’ understeer in the dry throughout practice at the British GP last Friday. According to Mark Hughes, Verstappen reported his RB21 was susceptible to ‘severe’ levels of understeer on Friday thanks to the floor upgrade that Red Bull debuted at the British GP. But the upgrade was actually delivering the increased downforce that Red Bull had forecast.

Red Bull’s data from their floor upgrade at Silverstone matched their pre-event simulations. However, the issue was that the aero balance was more rearwards than Red Bull wanted, so Verstappen – as Yuki Tsunoda did not get the updated floor – did not enjoy his car’s balance. In fact, Red Bull’s floor upgrade at Silverstone was ‘essentially too effective’ on the rear axle of Verstappen’s car without further tweaks to the front wing. So, Red Bull gave up on trying to find a balance which suited their floor upgrade and intended wing levels come Saturday.

‘Huge mistake’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/red...too-effective/


Yuki Tsunoda admits to never having ‘this kind of feeling’ in F1 after another scoreless performance
8 Jul 2025
Ashley Hambly
F1 Oversteer

Yuki Tsunoda was the last-placed car to take the chequered flag at the British Grand Prix, making it his fifth consecutive Grand Prix finish outside of the points. In fact, Tsunoda set an unwanted Red Bull record at Silverstone as his last-placed finish ended up being the first time in the team’s 20-year history that it has happened in back-to-back Grands Prix.

Speaking in the media pen following the conclusion of the British Grand Prix, the Red Bull man told reporters, “When it comes to the long run, it’s something that always is very outstandingly slow somehow. Just degging [degrading the tyres] like crazy – I never had this kind of feeling. I know we were running quite low downforce, but to be honest I had still good confidence in the rain. The rain pace was absolutely nowhere, so I’m a bit lost.”

“Never had this kind of feeling”;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/yuk...s-performance/


Adrian Newey in Terminator mode at Silverstone sparks McLaren curiosity: Is Aston Martin planning a 2026 shock?
10 Jul 2025
John Smith
Total Motorsport

There is a fresh sense of urgency inside the walls of the Aston Martin factory. Adrian Newey, newly installed as chief technology officer, has become the focal point of the team’s ambitious project to transform their fortunes. As McLaren continued their march at the top of the championship, Newey was spotted on the Silverstone grid with his trademark intensity, paying special attention to the rear of the McLaren cars and their intricate suspension setup.

It was the kind of scene that instantly drew whispers across the paddock was Aston Martin’s technical mastermind looking for clues to close the gap to the front? Team principal Andy Cowell echoed that sentiment, adding, “Having Adrian on board gives us a massive boost. He’s often the last one to leave, working late to refine next year’s car. Nearly all our resources are focused on the AMR26.”

‘Adrian Newey in Terminator mode’;

https://www.total-motorsport.com/adr...6-silverstone/


Jonathan Wheatley made a ‘quite telling’ Christian Horner comment at the British Grand Prix before his Red Bull exit
9 Jul 2025
Rory Mitchell
F1 Oversteer

Discussing his exit from Red Bull with media, Wheatley admitted that Red Bull’s problems on track did play a part in his eventual exit. “When I interviewed Wheatley fairly recently, he said ‘Did what was going on at Red Bull play a part [in leaving?], maybe a little bit’ and that was quite telling to me,” said Medland.

“That it felt like even those who were in core positions were wondering if times were changing, and it was time to move on, because maybe the recent dominant era was over.” Jonathan Wheatley left Red Bull after signs of decline. Wheatley was one of the members of the team who left recently, which also included F1 design guru Adrian Newey and aerodynamicist Rob Marshall to rivals Aston Martin and McLaren respectively.

‘Maybe a little bit’;

https://www.f1oversteer.com/news/jon...red-bull-exit/

[Fortitude]

Red Bull insider: This is the mood after Horner sacking.
Goodbye to the Heartbeat – Red Bull Racing, the team that roared to Formula 1 dominance with the polished authority of a championship-winning juggernaut, is now trying to find its bearings after the rather unceremonious departure of its long-time team boss Christian Horner.
July 14, 2025
thejudge13

Journalist Matt Majendie, who had the misfortune or serendipity (depending on your sense of journalistic timing) to be embedded with Red Bull during this seismic moment, offered a first-hand glimpse into the team’s emotional temperature on The Inside Track podcast. After traveling with the team to Silverstone for a long-scheduled filming day, Majendie revealed a mood that was anything but celebratory. Less champagne and adrenaline, more lukewarm tea and awkward silences.

“Subdued,” he said. “Mourning.” And above all, “uncertain.” These are not words we typically associate with the high-octane world of Formula 1, especially not with Red Bull, whose garage has for years been a hive of energy, swagger, and industrial-grade caffeine consumption. But that was Horner’s Red Bull. And that Red Bull is no more.

“He was very popular,” Majendie reported, “and very integral to how the team functioned day to day.” What followed was an atmosphere best described as eerily quiet. The engineers, usually chirping away about telemetry and suspension tweaks, were uncharacteristically tight-lipped. The mechanics who typically revel in the grind and buzz of the paddock were going through the motions. It wasn’t mutiny. It wasn’t protest. It was something far more unsettling. It was grief.

‘Goodbye to the Heartbeat’;

https://thejudge13.com/2025/07/14/re...orner-sacking/


Christian Horner's EMOTIONAL Red Bull farewell speech
Jul 9, 2025
Sky Sports F1

Watch footage of an emotional Christian Horner telling the Red Bull Racing team that he was leaving his role as team principal and CEO after his shock firing.

@aalpinesnow: Hate him or love him, you cannot deny all that he has brought to Formula One and how he made even the largest auto manufacturers in the world fall to their knees for many years as he dominated the top tier of motorsport. I’m not even a Red Bull fan, I’m a McLaren fan, and I take my hat off to this F1 icon. Thank you Christian. You weren’t perfect, but you did a lot of good for our beloved sport.

@chrisjameswarren88: Regardless of what you think of him - he's truly taken this like a true leader and thanked his team. He's always fought for this team and drivers. It really doesn't matter what Joe Public thinks of the man, but the fact his colleagues talk so highly of him speaks volumes. Cadillac must be laughing as there will be many Red Bull team members now looking for a new job! Hope to see him at another team in the coming months. Good luck Jos, Max and the Austrian Red Bull board of directors.

@sreehari3001: Christian Horner- absolute legend. Red Bull’s loss will be another team’s gain soon. Sad that he couldn’t get the opportunity to drive the team into the era with RB powertrains. To survive 20 years as a Team Principal without having an ownership stake where the average tenure is just 2 years is a monumental achievement. Leading the team from the depths of Jaguar era to an almost unbeaten season- posterity will rate you as one of the greatest that ever as, not just in F1, but in sports management. You were a true asset to the sport- from a hardcore Ferrari fan. Condolences for the loss of your former partner and the grace with which you have handled this is a testament to your character. See you back in action soon!

@gamingandgeeking7880: This was only a small part of the speech as we clapped when he needed to compose himself. It was a very heart-felt speech overall and meant a lot to the people here

@Dan.Dan123-r2b: He knows how to lead and inspire people, that's blatantly obvious watching this. As he said, he wanted to thank each and everyone of his team. I've seen managers just clear their desks and go..... 20yrs doing what he has, speaks volumes. He'll certainly be back in a different coloured jersey for another team.

@brandtag44: Drive to Survive Season 8 Episode 1: Christian Horner Episode 2: Christian Horner Episode 3: Christian Horner Episode 4: Christian Horner Episode 5: Christian Horner Episode 6: Christian Horner Episode 7: Christian Horner Episode 8: Christian Horner Episode 9: Christian Horner

‘Farewell speech’;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Qz4oMk3bUA


Martin Brundle suspects ‘key role’ from ‘Team Verstappen’ in Horner sack
15 Jul 2025
Jamie Woodhouse
PlanetF1.com

Martin Brundle has seen and heard enough to believe that ‘Team Verstappen’ played a critical role in Red Bull firing Christian Horner. “For whatever reason, they’ve decided that Christian’s not the man to lead them into the next phase, that Laurent Mekies is, and other people they’ll, no doubt, put around him,” Brundle continued. “So, it’s just odd. This is a strange time to do it, and a strange urgency, I would say to that.”

“We don’t know what’s gone on behind closed doors, but I do know that Team Verstappen were not happy with him there.” At that point, Brundle was asked if he believed that Red Bull was given an ultimatum of ‘it’s either us or him’ by the Verstappens, at a time when speculation is swirling that Max could break free of his Red Bull contract via an exit clause to join Mercedes.

Brundle replied: “I don’t know, but what’s absolutely clear is that the Verstappen camp have been lobbing in hand grenades for quite some months now, and some of them have gone off, and it’s been pretty relentless in that respect. And I think at times, Max’s dad, Jos, has made it absolutely clear that he thinks Christian shouldn’t be leading the company and leading the team. So I would, yes, they played a key role in Christian’s exit.”

‘Verstappen camp have been lobbing in hand grenades’;

https://www.planetf1.com/news/martin...an-horner-sack


Steiner hints at hidden trigger behind Horner firing: ‘Timing very off’
14/07/2025
Michael Delaney
F1i.com

Steiner found the timing particularly odd given the proximity of F1’s summer break. "It's very off because you've got only a few races before the summer break, and normally you do it in the summer break," he noted. "People shut down. This is done a few days after a race. So it is off as you say, the timing of it and I guess they had some disagreement about something, whatever it is. We will find out, we just have to wait a little. But, it's very off how it happened.”

Steiner speculated that Verstappen’s camp may have played a role in the decision. “It could be that Max put that as one of the things he wanted, you know, it’s a weird thing for a driver to say ‘somebody has to go so that I stay’,” Steiner said. “It is never set as clear as this because then you really fire at somebody, and as the world best F1 driver, you shouldn’t have to be doing that.”

"But maybe they jumped to the conclusion and said if we want to keep Max something needs to change and we let Christian go. Because obviously, as you said, Jos [Verstappen] and Christian — obviously they didn't see eye to eye on quite a few things, I mean it was publicly known and publicly played out.”

‘Timing very off’;

https://f1i.com/news/544012-steiner-...-very-off.html


Horner flaunts surprising new backing after Red Bull Racing dismissal
14 Jul 2025
Hidde Korte
GPblog.com

Horner was dismissed as team principal and CEO of the Red Bull Racing team. On Instagram, he shared a heartwarming video receiving support from an unexpected quarter. The video showed 10-year-old Teddy paying tribute to the dismissed team principal of Red Bull Racing. The TV in the background displayed footage of Horner’s successes with Red Bull. Teddy reflected on the team's successes: ‘To my hero Christian Horner. You are the person who inspired me to start watching Formula 1 five years ago. You have been the fire behind the team for the past twenty years and brought so many victories. You will forever have a place in my heart.’

‘You went where no one else dared to go with smart solutions and investments. I will never forget what you have achieved and what you still can achieve in the future. Watching the race is my favorite part of the week, especially seeing Red Bull in the Constructors’ Championship and Max in the Drivers’ Championship. It will never be the same watching races knowing you’re no longer on the pit wall. Hearing you cheer after the drivers’ success will always stay with me, even when I need to concentrate.’

‘You will forever remain in our hearts, so please don’t forget that. Greetings from your biggest 10-year-old fan, Teddy.’ Teddy then showed a piece of paper with a photo of Horner and the text: ‘To my hero’. The former Red Bull boss seemed impressed: ‘Thank you Teddy’.

‘Heartwarming video receiving support from an unexpected quarter’;

https://www.gpblog.com/en/news/horne...-from-red-bull