In the last years Red Bull has been shaken by numerous polemics, and even if Verstappen gave them 4 world titles, it didn’t make these issues disappear.
Internal drama
At the very beginning of the 2024 season Christian Horner’s name appeared in a case accusing him of inappropriate behavior regarding one of his employees, even if he denied these accusations it shook the Formula 1 community and led to an enormous polemic. Following these accusations Red Bull led an internal investigation helped by a lawyer outside from the team, the lawyer cleared Horner and confirmed he was innocent. It still followed him during the season, also Dutch media gave us the information that British media had a restriction regarding this case given by the “Horner clan” which did not allow them to give any information on the subject or to even mention it.
The cursed second seat
It’s been an issue within Red Bull for quite a while now, after Daniel Ricciardo’s departure from the team at the end of the 2018 season they’ve been struggling to find a good replacement to line up next to Max Verstappen. Firstly, they chose to put Pierre Galsy in this second seat, but as he managed to get ahead of his teammate Verstappen only once in 12 race weekends with the team, Red Bull chose to replace him. The replacement was taken straight from Toro Rosso (now VCARB), Alex Albon, who raced with the team through the rest of the 2019 season and the entire 2020 season. He was later replaced by Sergio Perez for the 2021 season.
Sergio Perez on his side drove for Red Bull from 2021 to 2024. He was fired from Red Bull due to his lack of performance in 2024, by the end of the season the Mexican was barely able to get in the points. Also the Mexican apparently mentioned the issues with the car many times, but it seems that no one listened.
Liam Lawson took Perez’ seat for the 2025 season, he struggled with the car, and was replaced after two races by Yuki Tsunoda.
Tsunoda, as much as the other two drivers, has been struggling, barely getting points. Some people will mention how impossible it is to perform so badly if given the same car and the same chances as Verstappen. That's what starts to make people think Red Bull do not give the same chances to perform to both of their drivers, which, if it’s true, only leads to a low ranking in the constructors championship for the moment, considering Max Verstappen was world champion last year and the change of drivers was meant to make them fight for it.
4 World titles and nothing more?
When we thought the only security Red Bull had was their four times world champion staying in the team next year, the rumours of Max Verstappen possibly leaving Red Bull at the end of the 2025 season hit, meaning he would break his contract early to join Mercedes. Knowing that George Russell’s contract has not been renewed by Mercedes it only increased the growing doubt in the paddock. The rumours appeared not long before the race weekend in Silverstone, and when Toto Wolf was asked about it, he explained that as a team principal of such a big team he has to try to bring the best drivers into it, in this case the four times world champion. ( to the mic of Canal+).
The rumours weren’t denied by Red Bull or Max Verstappen which keeps the doubt hanging in the air.
Some get promoted, some get kicked out…
On the 9th of July, Christian Horner’s departure from Red Bull with immediate effect was announced. Not long after Laurent Mekies was announced to be promoted from Racing Bulls to Red Bull taking Horner’s previous position, and following that announcement Alan Permane was given the place of team principal in VCARB.
The reasons of Christian Horner leaving Red Bull are still not clear, whether it was because of the poor performance the car was showing this season or because of other internal issues. What Horner is going to do from now on is also a mystery, we have no information or rumours going on about that for now.
