Red Bull’s Max Verstappen Max Verstappen could be disastrous for Christian Horner. He will face endless questions, in particular about his replacement.
Red Bull is a team that has almost always promoted from within. When Mark Webber retired at the end of 2013, his compatriot Daniel Ricciardo made the leap from Toro Rosso.
And when Sebastian Vettel joined Ferrari a year later, Horner returned to the brother team for Daniil Kvyat. But could the feat here repeat here?
Verstappen’s teammate, Yuki Tsunoda, ends contract at the end of the season and has not been convinced since he replaced Liam Lawson. Isack Hadjar has the possibility of ascending to Red Bull, but even he has questioned his preparation for the Milton Keynes team.
Although Helmut Marko sees Arvid Lindblad as a long -term “successor” of Verstappen, the young man must first demonstrate his value in Racing Bulls. In summary, Red Bull might need to sign an already consolidated winner of another career if the superstar of his team leaves.
Christian Horner praises Mercedes’s pilot, George Russell, “with a remarkable frequency.”
According to a Motor Und Sport Auto report, Horner believes that he could “need” to sign George Russell. This would be surprising given its recent tension with Verstappen.
Russell furiously criticized the aggressiveness of Verstappen at the end of last year, in the middle of a dispute over a penalty on the starting grill in Qatar. Last weekend, in Canada, Mercedes’s pilot joked about taking advantage of the situation of penalty points of his rival while he is on the verge of the suspension of the race.
After Russell’s victory, Red Bull presented a controversial protest, claiming unsportsmanlike behavior after the security car. This could rekindle the tension between both teams, but Toto Wolff and Horner have reasons to maintain the relationship.
It is surprising that Wolff avoids criticizing Verstappen, even after the widely criticized collision of the Dutchman with Russell in Spain. He wants to build a bridge for the tetra -champion to finally join Mercedes.
Also, journalist Michael Schmidt points out that Horner praises Russell with a remarkable frequency. He knows that he cannot ruin things, since he could sign Williams’s expilot one day.
Christian Horner hint at George Russell’s interest, amid the rumors about Max Verstappen.
In the Singapore GP of the past autumn, Horner confirmed Red Bull’s interest in Russell. He said it would be foolishness not to consider a pilot of that caliber.
Although technically it is in the market, since the end of its contract with Mercedes is approaching, Russell is expected to sign a new contract soon.
However, his last contract only lasted two years, and a renewal in this case will open the doors to Red Bull. Horner has had informal conversations with Russell to keep up.
Russell’s expected renewal will approach Verstappen to his permanence in Red Bull. But this story could continue next year.
Signed by Mercedes in 2022, Russell has won four victories, six poles and 20 podiums in his first 138 races.
