F1 paddock insider has noticed a big change in Red Bull’s hospitality unit since Christian Horner sacking

Follow us on Google Discover

Red Bull have turned their 2025 Formula 1 season around and have a chance of putting some real pressure on McLaren for the drivers’ title.

As they arrive in Texas for the United States Grand Prix, they know that Max Verstappen ideally needs to win to keep his hopes of a fifth consecutive drivers’ championship alive. Anything less could open the door for his rivals to extend a gap which already looks very big.

Red Bull’s recent development and approach to racing has been very positive, helping to turn the tide since the summer break, where they were effectively ruled down and out in the fight for anything of note. They’re also building some positive momentum heading into the 2026 F1 regulations, which is encouraging.

McLaren are worried about Red Bull and are aware that their competitors cannot be ignored until they are mathematically out of the battle. Red Bull’s operations have changed for the better, and it’s going to give Verstappen at least a small chance across the final six events of the campaign.

READ MORE: Juan Pablo Montoya thinks Max Verstappen is playing a ‘terrifying’ game in 2025 title fight

F1 insider has noticed the ‘feeling’ at Red Bull is ‘completely gone’ after Christian Horner axe

Christian Horner is being ‘wooed’ by Ferrari and is still patiently waiting for his next opportunity, after being sacked by Red Bull this summer. After 20 years of his leadership, they decided that a change was necessary and replaced him with Laurent Mekies.

With the departure of other key figures in recent years, such as Rob Marshall, Dan Fallows, and Adrian Newey, it represented one last shift in the team’s culture. Since then, they have started to win races again, and Erik van Haren believes that the ‘feeling’ within the team has changed.

“Without a doubt [things are happier]. Jos was not at a lot of race tracks this year, not a lot of races, and of course, since the decision to split ways with Christian Horner, Jos was in Hungary, he was in Belgium the week before, he was in Zandvoort, he was in Singapore, he was in Baku,” said van Haren.

“He has a lot of rally to do as well, so that was also convenient with his calendar. They feel convenient there, it’s more relaxed. Because like [the last] one and a half years or something, it was a bit [off] in the Red Bull.

“If you came to the hospitality units and stuff, it was a bit like, if you talk with that guy, if that conversation was over, two minutes later, someone else came over to talk about that kind of feeling. They had that same feeling, I think. That’s completely gone now. I think that it’s a more relaxed move.”

READ MORE: The Max Verstappen statistic that proves he’s not doing enough to win the 2025 Formula 1 title

What Red Bull desperately need to give Max Verstappen in 2026

With Yuki Tsunoda’s contract set to expire after an underwhelming season, and no update on his future, it’s expected that Verstappen will have a new teammate once more in 2026.

This year, having no backup in the fight against McLaren from a strategy and a battling standpoint is going to be tough.

Just think back to what Sergio Perez was able to do for him at the 2021 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. Having a rear-gunner can be vital, and his team must find one for next year.

Ideally, the candidate pushes him and helps to elevate his performance to a new level. That’s when Red Bull’s rivals will really fear what they can be capable of.