Robert Doornbos predicts dismissed Red Bull Racing boss will return

Talking to the NOS, the F1 analyst explained the current situation at Verstappen's team. “First, there needs to be some calm. But don't expect a fantastic car to immediately come out and for Red Bull to start winning again. And by 2026, when they switch to Ford engines, absolutely no one knows what will happen,” said the 43-year-old.

Yesterday, Doornbos also reacted to Horner's dismissal. He went into more detail now. He said, “It's been chaotic at Red Bull for the past year and a half. Horner was accused of crossing boundaries, and there was dissatisfaction over his continuance. Additionally, there were the camps that formed internally after the death of founder Dietrich Mateschitz and the exodus. To then deny you're going to miss these people, while performances are lacking. That juggling with the second drivers. Something had to be done. It was inevitable.”

Doornbos then emphasized the exceptional achievements Horner had as a team boss. He won eight world titles with Sebastian Vettel and Verstappen, six constructors' titles, and 124 victories. From this, the former F1 driver sees a silver lining for the dismissed Brit: “He had a contract until 2030, that needs to be settled. Financially, he doesn't need to work this job anymore.”

Financially, Horner has no need to make a return. Yet, Doornbos is convinced that his former team boss will take this step. “We will definitely see this man back in the paddock,” he predicts.

A team often linked with Horner is Ferrari. The analyst said: “Ferrari seems like a big impact on his family life, as he is thoroughly British and wouldn’t just move to Maranello, no matter if Ferrari wanted him.”

“I can see him at Aston Martin. Or building up a team like Alpine and trying to bring it back to the top. He's definitely looking for a new challenge,” Doornbos concluded.