PA Images/Alamy Images

Sacked F1 team boss claims Christian Horner must do ‘anything to keep’ Max Verstappen at Red Bull

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Armaan Agarwal | Last updated 5/9/24

Red Bull has faced a difficult period since the start of 2024. There were rumors of internal turmoil within the team after Christian Horner was investigated over allegations of inappropriate behavior. Aero genius Adrian Newey decided to leave the Austrian team after spending almost two decades. Now, rumors have surfaced that Max Verstappen might be looking to exit Red Bull.

Former F1 team boss Otmar Szafnauer highlighted Verstappen’s importance for Milton Keynes. The Romanian-American claimed that if he was in Christian Horner‘s shoes, he would do anything to retain the Dutchman. Presently, Max Verstappen is contracted to Red Bull till 2028. However, there has been growing interest from Mercedes to sign the 26-year-old.

I'm guessing, I don't speak with knowledge, but if I were Christian Horner I would do anything to keep Verstappen. Otmar Szafnauer told RacingNews365

Additionally, Szafnauer claimed that even for Verstappen, Red Bull remains the best choice for 2025 and beyond if the team continued to perform at the current level. The Austrian team will stay the same for next season apart from Adrian Newey’s exit. As such, there was no real reason for Max Verstappen to leave Milton Keynes for the time being.

If I were Max, I would always stay with Red Bull if they continue to perform at the current level. Before 2025 you have the Honda engine and apart from the departure of Adrian Newey, everything remains the same. You have a good chassis and the regulations don't change, so why leave? Otmar Szafnauer asserted

Otmar Szafnauer claims 2024 the ‘craziest F1 driver market’

The 2024 silly season began as Lewis Hamilton announced his shock switch to Ferrari. This opened the door for speculation regarding potential transfers, including 17-year-old Kimi Antonelli’s chances of racing for the Silver Arrows. Moreover, the internal tensions at Red Bull left fans wondering if Max Verstappen would leave the Austrian team.

Otmar Szafnauer affirmed that in his 26 years of experience, he had never witnessed such a busy driver market in F1. However, the former F1 team boss insisted that teams needed to keep such speculation aside and focus on their efforts to not be impacted by what was happening in the paddock.

During my 26 years in sports, this is the craziest transfer market I've ever experienced. It depends on which team you are talking about... If you're not good at keeping things like this aside, it could have an impact. Otmar Szafnauer stated

Certainly, there is a lot of uncertainty over the 2025 F1 grid, with almost a dozen drivers without a contract for next season. It is clear that fans will be witnessing some exciting transfers in the coming months as teams and drivers secure their future. However, it would be interesting to see Max Verstappen’s thought process for 2025.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: