Laurent Mekies, the boss of sister team Racing Bulls, will replace Horner, who has been with the team since its inception in 2005 and led it to 124 wins and numerous championships.

Reigning F1 champion Max Verstappen has backed his former Red Bull team-mate Sergio Perez for a return to the paddock in 2026. Perez drove alongside the Dutchman between 2021 and 2024, where he helped to return Christian Horner's F1 outfit to championship success with back-to-back constructors' titles in 2022 and 2023.

George Russell and Kimi Antonelli remaining without contracts for next season at Mercedes, Red Bull’s struggles in recent weeks, and reporting that Verstappen was inching closer to a shocking move to Mercedes — the paddock has been ablaze with speculation about the four-time champion’s future.

Max Verstappen says he doesn’t “know anything about” rumours that Red Bull team principal Christian Horner could resign from his role. It comes amid mounting rumours that Verstappen could walk away from Red Bull to join Mercedes for the F1 2026 season.