P1racenews AI automatic summary:
Jos Verstappen made his criticism of Christian Horner public early last year, with Martin Brundle confident it played a role in the changing of Red Bull team principal.
Former Formula 1 driver Martin Brundle indicated that he had almost considered Jos Verstappen as the potential team principal for Red Bull, following Jos’s public criticism of Christian Horner. There was a public confrontation between Verstappen and Horner in Bahrain last year when Verstappen insisted that the team would face turmoil unless a leadership change occurred. The Hungarian Grand Prix served as Laurent Mekies’ second event as Red Bull’s boss after Horner’s departure post-Silverstone, reportedly linked to Max Verstappen’s future and alleged negotiations with Mercedes. Brundle expressed confidence that Red Bull securing the 27-year-old Verstappen for 2026 after Horner’s exit was a strategic move that Verstappen’s camp likely approved of beforehand. Brundle also suggested that the public statements made by Jos against Horner could have influenced the decision to appoint a new team boss after two decades. According to Brundle, it is improbable that Max Verstappen will leave Red Bull due to the changes, as it was likely a well-coordinated decision involving the Verstappen camp.
