What will happen to Max Verstappen after the turbulent end to Horner’s Red Bull reign?

The departure of Christian Horner from Red Bull marks the end of a turbulent chapter in the team's history. At least, that's what Max Verstappen and his entourage are hoping for. In deciding to stay with Red Bull, one of the two 'conditions' was that Horner's power be curtailed or, preferably, that he would leave.

The latter has now happened, and it's easy to speculate how the Dutch camp is reacting to the news, although there is no official response from Max Verstappen, his father Jos, or manager Raymond Vermeulen. It's no secret that Horner was no longer in everyone in the Verstappen camp's good graces.

On the other hand, it’s easy to understand the frustration. As early as 2024, Max Verstappen had already made it clear that Christian Horner’s position at the top of the team was becoming a problem. Still, Red Bull GmbH’s leadership chose not to intervene at the time.

Could all this have been avoided? Perhaps not entirely, but Horner's departure would have positively influenced the calm and atmosphere at the workplace.

Laurent Mekies is the new team principal of Red Bull Racing; a friendly personality, someone who has gained considerable experience at Ferrari and Racing Bulls, and now faces the major task of getting Red Bull into calmer waters.

Mekies' main task for the coming period will certainly be to keep Max Verstappen on board. Not only does Horner's departure play a role in his decision to stay or leave the Austrian racing team, but there are also signs of sporting progress. Mekies will need to convince the grid's top driver of this over the coming period.