Jul.11 (GMM) With Christian Horner now not an element, all eyes are again on Max Verstappen’s subsequent transfer in System 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 trade ended.
“I’ll preserve the strain on you, Christian,” Jos reportedly mentioned.
Days later, with Pink Bull’s Thai co-owner Chalerm Yoovidhya now not in a position to 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 informed motorsport-total.com. “One belongs to Toto Wolff, and the opposite to Max Verstappen.
“I can think about them ingesting espresso collectively.”
Some suppose Horner’s exit was the results of an ultimatum the Verstappen camp made to Pink Bull, though former F1 driver Christijan Albers isn’t so positive.
“I don’t imagine Max mentioned ‘he’s out or I’m out’,” he informed the Dutch publication Formule 1. “That’s not how he’s.
“I do suppose he made it clear that issues have to vary. Pink Bull is nothing with out Max, and that’s not the way it needs to be at a prime group, after all.”
Former Haas group boss Gunther Steiner thinks Verstappen, 27, will wait at Pink Bull not less than 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 informed sport.de.
“There can be fully new laws – no one is aware of who can be the place. Switching now and signing a long-term contract is an excessive amount of of a danger.”
A transfer for 2027 makes far more sense, Steiner added.
“Logically, you’ve gotten a very good probability of entering into one of the best automobile should you’re one of the best driver,” he mentioned. “That’s simply the way it works in System 1.
“Max will calmly analyse subsequent 12 months who has one of the best bundle.”
Fascinatingly, although, a really well-placed insider has let slip that the quadruple world champion’s determination might have already got been made.
Discussing Mercedes’ present efficiency on the Pelas Pistas podcast, Nelson Piquet jr mentioned: “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 can be “driving there” at Mercedes in 2026, he instantly hit reverse gear. “I believe he’ll decide in August.”
