Tom Coronel suggests Red Bull issue Max Verstappen hasn’t even experienced yet could have led to Christian Horner exit

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Red Bull have dropped the biggest bombshell of the 2025 Formula 1 season by sacking long-serving team principal Christian Horner.

His departure comes after weeks of speculation surrounding Max Verstappen’s future with Red Bull and his dissatisfaction with the current operation. The team have dramatically regressed over the last year, with the Dutchman winning just four races since he won the 2024 Spanish GP.

His teammates – Sergio Perez, Liam Lawson and Yuki Tsunoda – have scored a combined total of 48 points in that time. This has prompted the four-time champion to call for change, with reports indicating that Verstappen was pushing for Horner to be replaced.

At the British Grand Prix, Horner refused to entertain a restructuring at Red Bull, which could well have been his downfall. Verstappen had a ‘final standoff’ with Red Bull CEO Oliver Mintzlaff, and he was ultimately successful.

Laurent Mekies will replace Horner at Red Bull, while Alan Permane will replace him at Racing Bulls. Horner told Martin Brundle he doesn’t know why he’s being sacked, but Dutch pundit Tom Coronel reckons he has a clear reason.

Tom Coronel thinks something has gone wrong with Red Bull’s 2026 car which has led to Christian Horner’s sacking

Horner is the latest big name to leave Milton Keynes in the last year, with Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley and Rob Marshall all having departed for Aston Martin, Sauber and McLaren respectively. Red Bull are in a transitional phase as they prepare for the 2026 F1 regulations.

The team will bring their own power unit to the sport next season in collaboration with Ford. Red Bull hope that they will have success as a manufacturer under the new rules, but early indications are not promising.

Speaking via Formule1.nl, Coronel thinks something has gone wrong with the team’s development for 2026. Verstappen has not experienced his car for next season yet, but F1 drivers are not happy with the simulations behind the scenes.

“Ninety percent of what’s happening in the Red Bull factory now revolves around next year,” said Coronel. “So the fact that he’s leaving now means they started something as a team that they can’t finish. That tells me something’s wrong. There must have been a fire.”

Speaking about Horner’s legacy at Red Bull, Coronel said that he: “can’t be negative.” He added: “A can manufacturer becoming world champion eight times – that’s unheard of. And Christian Horner was at the helm.”

READ MORE: Know all about Red Bull team principal Christian Horner with net worth to wife

Max Verstappen’s camp has concerns surrounding Red Bull’s 2026 package

With Horner gone, Red Bull now face a critical period to keep their star driver with the team beyond this season. Verstappen has lost confidence in the technical department, led by Pierre Wache, which seems like they do not know how to fix their woes.

Verstappen’s camp thinks he could have a ‘painful’ season in 2026 with Red Bull’s engine. They are not convinced that he can make the ‘big step’ with the team next season.

Mercedes are pushing to sign Verstappen, with Toto Wolff being keen on recruiting him for his project in Brackley. The Silver Arrows are tipped to have the fastest engine under the new regulations.

But Verstappen is not expected to leave Red Bull until 2027 as he wants to see what the pecking order will look like in 2026. In theory, the Milton Keynes outfit have a season to prove that they can take the Dutchman back to the front of the pack.