Source: REUTERS/Kylie Cooper
[Saba Sports News] The sudden decision by Red Bull to fire Christian Horner shocked the entire paddock. Although the team did not give a clear reason, the comments of former F1 driver and commentator Martin Brundle led people to focus on a potential key figure — Max Verstappen’s team. Brundle revealed in an interview that he saw Horner after a race and found him unusually quiet, which was very different from his usual behavior. This abnormality gave Brundle a sense of unease. Brundle said that although Horner didn’t reveal any details, he knew that Horner was not welcomed by Verstappen’s team and suspected they played a major role in his departure. Over the past 18 months, Horner has faced numerous problems. He was first accused of inappropriate behavior, and although he was cleared in two internal investigations, he never fully escaped the negative image. At the same time, his conflict with Verstappen’s father, Jos Verstappen, continued to escalate. Jos once publicly stated that if Horner did not leave, Red Bull would fall apart. Brundle pointed out that since the death of Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz, the balance within the team began to collapse. The departures of key figures like Adrian Newey, the team’s design chief, and Rob Marshall, the technical director, further isolated Horner. Brundle also mentioned that Verstappen’s team has been continuously feeding information to the media, putting constant pressure on Horner, which eventually caused him to lose key supporters — Red Bull shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya.