Jul.11 (GMM) With Christian Horner now not an element, all eyes are again on Max Verstappen’s subsequent transfer in Components 1.
Former F1 driver Ralf Schumacher says he witnessed the ultimate argument between Max’s father Jos and Horner at Silverstone, with Bild newspaper revealing how the alternate ended.
“I’ll hold the stress on you, Christian,” Jos reportedly stated.
Days later, with Crimson Bull’s Thai co-owner Chalerm Yoovidhya now not capable of shield Horner after diluting his 51 p.c management by 2pc, Horner is gone.
Max Verstappen, in the meantime, was heading to Sardinia.
“It’s no coincidence that this week there are two yachts off the coast of Sardinia,” Schumacher advised motorsport-total.com. “One belongs to Toto Wolff, and the opposite to Max Verstappen.
“I can think about them ingesting espresso collectively.”
Some assume Horner’s exit was the results of an ultimatum the Verstappen camp made to Crimson Bull, though former F1 driver Christijan Albers isn’t so certain.
“I don’t imagine Max stated ‘he’s out or I’m out’,” he advised the Dutch publication Formule 1. “That’s not how he’s.
“I do assume he made it clear that issues have to alter. Crimson Bull is nothing with out Max, and that’s not the way it must be at a prime workforce, after all.”
Former Haas workforce boss Gunther Steiner thinks Verstappen, 27, will wait at Crimson Bull at the very least lengthy sufficient to evaluate what modifications within the new Laurent Mekies period.
“I imagine he’ll keep the place he’s subsequent 12 months,” Steiner advised sport.de.
“There will likely be fully new rules – no person is aware of who will likely be the place. Switching now and signing a long-term contract is an excessive amount of of a danger.”
A transfer for 2027 makes way more sense, Steiner added.
“Logically, you’ve probability of moving into the very best automobile should you’re the very best driver,” he stated. “That’s simply the way it works in Components 1.
“Max will calmly analyse subsequent 12 months who has the very best package deal.”
Fascinatingly, although, a really well-placed insider has let slip that the quadruple world champion’s choice might have already got been made.
Discussing Mercedes’ present efficiency on the Pelas Pistas podcast, Nelson Piquet jr stated: “There are weekends this 12 months the place issues simply don’t work out for Mercedes.
“However who is aware of what’s going to occur subsequent 12 months, when Max is driving there,” the previous F1 driver added.
Piquet, 39, isn’t solely the son of F1 legend Nelson Piquet senior, however the older brother of Verstappen’s girlfriend Kelly.
After letting slip that Verstappen will likely be “driving there” at Mercedes in 2026, he instantly hit reverse gear. “I feel he’ll decide in August.”
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