Will Verstappen now stay with Red Bull for good after Horner's departure?

As experienced as he is, Mercedes CEO and team principal Toto Wolff will have realised on Wednesday that his pursuit of Max Verstappen’s signature has taken a major blow.

With Christian Horner now dismissed by Red Bull, one of the key conditions, perhaps the most important for Verstappen to remain with the Austrian team in 2026, has been fulfilled.

Though a major hurdle in Toto Wolff’s pursuit of Max Verstappen has been added with Horner’s departure, the Mercedes boss need not give up hope just yet. As previously stated, Verstappen is considering more than just Horner’s exit in making his decision about the future.

Equally important for the four-time world champion is assessing whether Red Bull can make meaningful technical progress in the coming weeks, as previously reported by GPblog.

While the current season is already considered a lost cause, Verstappen is looking for signs of improvement, some leverage to determine whether the team can genuinely challenge for titles again in 2026, or at the very least, show they’re heading in the right direction.

The coming weeks remain extremely interesting. Yes, an important condition has been met, but now Red Bull needs to take the next step. That is, if it wants to retain Max Verstappen.

Horner spent over 20 years with the Red Bull team, winning 14 combined titles in the process. See his full career timeline by clicking here.

Reactions to Christian Horner's dismissal are flooding in from around the Formula 1 world. Sky Sports analyst and former F1 driver Martin Brundle admitted that he was 'sad' to see Horner go.