Max Verstappen explains the big change at Red Bull since Christian Horner left

Heineken® 0.0 ambassador Max Verstappen has revealed the single greatest difference at his Red Bull team since Christian Horner left and latest boss Laurent Mekies took over.

The squad was rocked last year when Horner, its principal for two decades, was removed from his position.

Now, speaking to SPORTbible, Verstappen has shed light on the transformation Red Bull has undergone since Horner’s departure, saying: “We’ve really turned it around.”

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Max Verstappen reveals difference at Red Bull in post-Christian Horner era

When promoted to Red Bull in 2016, Verstappen appeared to embody the team’s take-no-prisoners approach on-track.

Both team boss Christian Horner and Red Bull young driver guru Helmut Marko were known for their brutal sacking of a number of drivers mid-season when they weren’t deemed up to standards, preferring drivers who shared their own ruthless style.

Verstappen seemed to fit the bill and then some, winning on debut at the 2016 Spanish GP before claiming the first of four Drivers’ titles in 2021.

His aggressive attitude suited the team’s disruptor status, but in 2024 cracks started to appear.

Following the death of 2022 Red Bull founder Dietrich Mateschitz in 2022, a power struggle developed between Horner and the firm’s Austrian executives, the latter group feeling the team boss had too much power.

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When Horner was then accused of workplace misconduct (the allegations since dismissed), Verstappen’s father Jos said the principal had to leave the team or it would “explode”.

Horner clung on but was eventually dismissed halfway through 2025, with the team seeking a change of leadership direction after 20 years.

Now, with Mekies at the helm, the team has looked to have a less adversarial approach to F1 after the Horner era.

Heineken® 0.0 ambassador, Max Verstappen

Asked how things had changed since Mekies took over, Verstappen said: “It's been really nice meeting with Laurent - he's a great leader.

“We're creating a really nice atmosphere within the team.

“It's not been easy for him as well, right? The season, to start with the car was [underperforming], but you can see everyone was working really well together, and yeah, we really turned it around.

“I think that shows already enough, that's really what you need to try and establish within the team."

Max Verstappen on why he decided to commit to Red Bull long term

As Red Bull’s form dipped in recent years, Verstappen was frequently linked with Mercedes.

These rumours increased while Horner was under pressure, before Verstappen’s name was then mentioned in relation to McLaren too.

However, once the 2026 season and a new era of regulations got underway, the Dutchman decided to sign a long-term debut deal until 2030 with Red Bull.

Verstappen explains to SPORTbible what gave him the faith to continue with a team that was still in transition. Not only had Horner left but also technical director Adrian Newey, sporting director Jonthan Wheatley and chief engineering officer Rob Marshall.

“I've been working with these people for such a long time, and it's like my second family,” Verstappen says.

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“You speak a lot about the performance of the car, where you wanted to go for the future, and all those like chats that I had with them.

“It did give me belief that we could turn it around, that they were looking in the right places.”

Verstappen says it’s what’s going on behind the scenes that really convinced him.

“When it was announced, people couldn't believe it. But they also don't know, of course, what is going on at the factory. They didn't know what kind of chats we are having.

“There's always a risk. I mean, who knows what happens next year, right?

“But I do believe that with the people that we have, we can be very competitive, and we can hopefully fight for our championship again, because that's the target.

“That's what we are all working for, and are ready to have that kind of mindset and belief. I think that's very important within a team.”