The ongoing turmoil surrounding Christian Horner’s position has posed a significant threat to the cohesion within the Red Bull team.
Former Formula 1 driver Johnny Herbert has suggested that a potential agreement between Max Verstappen and Mercedes is nearing completion. He expressed his concern that the ongoing saga involving Christian Horner is causing considerable discord within the team.
Speculation regarding Horner’s future has persisted since reports emerged of an internal investigation into allegations of misconduct in early February. Despite the investigation concluding before the season opener in Bahrain, Horner’s continued tenure as team principal remains a source of tension at Red Bull.
Jos Verstappen, father of the reigning world champion, has publicly criticized Horner on multiple occasions since the beginning of the season.
Additionally, when there were doubts raised about Helmut Marko’s future in Jeddah due to alleged involvement in the leaking of Horner’s Whatsapp conversations, Max Verstappen hinted at the possibility of leaving the team.
As uncertainty looms over Verstappen’s future, Mercedes has added to the speculation. Team principal Toto Wolff was seen meeting with Verstappen’s father in the paddock, and Wolff even publicly extended an offer to both Helmut Marko and Max Verstappen to join Mercedes.
Herbert said: “I hear it is pretty close to a done deal, brokered between Max and Mercedes. Is it a power play by the Verstappen team? Possibly. I don’t think it is the best scenario for Max. Mercedes have struggled for the last three years and still haven’t got a good car.
“The whole shenanigans are ripping Red Bull apart, as Jos Verstappen has said. It is ripping the team apart to the extent they might well lose their biggest asset.
“And that is not Christian Horner. That is Max Verstappen. He is the one who is binding everything together to allow the team to achieve what they have done over the past couple of years.”
Herbert is confident that Verstappen’s potential transition to Mercedes is imminent. However, the Red Bull standout maintains his loyalty to his current team, emphasizing his contractual commitment until the conclusion of the 2028 season.
“I’m happy within the team,” he stated ahead of the Australian Grand Prix. “It’s very important that we try to keep the key players in the team for a longer period of time because that’s what goes with the performances as well.
“At the end of the day, it’s a performance basis. It’s the same as if I wouldn’t perform, I wouldn’t be sitting here. I know how that works. With the deal in place [until 2028], that’s my intention for sure to be here until the end because it would be a great story.”
