P1racenews AI automatic summary:
F1 insider calls for Horner ‘role change’ after Verstappen blunder
Peter Windsor, a Formula 1 pundit and former Ferrari general manager, suggested that Christian Horner should take on a new role within the Red Bull family after a disappointing Spanish Grand Prix. Specifically, Windsor recommended that Horner step into the position of sporting director at the Milton Keynes-based outfit instead of continuing as team principal, a role he has held since 2005. Following Jonathan Wheatley’s tenure as sporting director from 2006 to 2024, it remains uncertain if this position has been filled since Wheatley’s departure to Sauber. Windsor speculated that under Wheatley’s leadership, the controversial incident involving Max Verstappen and George Russell at the Spanish Grand Prix, which resulted in a penalty for Verstappen, might have been avoided. Despite Horner’s successful tenure at Red Bull, including multiple championships and nurturing talents like Vettel and Verstappen, the team has faced challenges with key departures and strategic missteps in recent years.
