All eyes on Verstappen: the paddock buzzes after Horner's departure from Red Bull

Jos Verstappen looks around and says:"Quite busy here." It is probably the understatement of the day, as a corner on the first floor of the Red Bull Energy Station is crowded. About eighty journalists have gathered, all waiting to hear what Max Verstappen has to say about the forced departure of Christian Horner.

After the four-time world champion has squeezed past a somewhat awkwardly placed plant pot and taken a seat at a table with dozens of phones on it, Verstappen patiently explains that he had no role in the departure of the team boss, that he saw Horner as 'family' and that it can just happen that father Jos and his former team boss had a strained relationship.

Much more, Verstappen looks forward. “I'm equally excited for the team now moving forward because that's what we have to do,” says the Dutchman, for example. But he also says, “I don't think it (Horner's departure, ed.) will matter at all for my decision in the future.” It is the first time that Verstappen openly admits he is indeed contemplating staying or leaving Red Bull.

Is it going to be Mercedes for Verstappen after all? A little further down, George Russell had explained a quarter of an hour earlier that he didn't worry about 2026 at all, especially after the Brit had heard team principal Toto Wolff on Austrian television this week saying that in principle Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli are his driver duo for next year.

If anything has become clear just a week before the summer break, it's that nothing is clear yet. Horner is gone, Verstappen is still in his place at Red Bull, but for how long? And what kind of period does Russell face - confident that he will stay at Mercedes, but on the very day that Verstappen spoke out about leaving.

Undoubtedly, Verstappen will measure how well he can perform at Spa-Francorchamps with the unpredictable RB21. With an update - including the front wing - he hopes to have a better weekend than in Silverstone. If Verstappen can excel, Russell will surely sleep better too.

And Horner? He will also be much discussed on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. He may be gone, but he is not really...