F1 | Horner: “Whoever doesn't want to stay at Red Bull is free to go”

Christian Horner's hope, in addition to continuing to win races, is to see the number of questions asked about the well-known extra-sporting events involving the team gradually decrease. For now the balance is decidedly unfavorable, even after the Jeddah race the double achieved on the track was liquidated very quickly, then the focus returned to the saga that has been ongoing for more than a month.

Horner's line is clear: anyone who doesn't want to stay at Red Bull is free to leave, no one will be held against their will. Message for Verstappen and for all those who are not in line with the team structure. A separate discussion for Helmut Marko, who (as Horner recalled) does not depend on Milton Keynes, but on the Salzburg headquarters.

Another great show of strength…
“We saw a very strong team performance, in the end Checo was eight or nine seconds behind Max. The five-second penalty wasn't good news, but we had a pace that didn't create any problems for us. It was important to see the RB20 prove itself on a different track with a different asphalt, and a new challenge awaits us in Melbourne. But today I want to underline the great performance of the team as a whole, both drivers did an exceptional job.”

You have an exceptional car, but you risk losing Max. Toto said he would like to have him on the team, do you think he is a real threat?
“I'm sure every team in the paddock would like to have Max, but as Toto himself said, the best drivers always want to be in the best cars. We are a team, Max today achieved his 56th victory in a Grand Prix and his 100th podium in Formula 1, all achieved at the wheel of Red Bull Racing single-seaters.”

“I believe that everyone in the team does an exceptional job in their roles, across all 22 different departments that make up Red Bull Racing. If just one of these groups wasn't perfect we wouldn't see performances like we saw today. Then, if a driver will decide to go somewhere else…he will go somewhere else, but frankly I don't see any reason to leave this team. I think there is great mutual support between all of us, we are doing a great job and we have a great car.” .

Are there any repercussions linked to the difficulties that the team's top management is going through?
“We are focused on winning races, and that's what we do well, as we saw today too. Obviously I am aware of everything that has happened in the last few weeks, but they have not distracted the team from work. Now there is speculation about Helmut. Here too it is necessary to clarify: Helmut does not work for me, because he is not an employee of Red Bull Racing. He works for Red Bull GmbH, and having said that I believe that he wants to continue to be part of this team in the future.”

If these events around the team were to continue in the future, don't you think they will inevitably end up having an impact on the work group?
“Look, the team is what comes first, if there isn't absolute harmony you don't get the performances we're getting. But if there is someone who no longer wants to be part of the team we certainly don't force people to stay with us. The people who are here want to be here, and they are passionate about what they do. This is what allows us to guarantee exceptional results, it is the DNA of Red Bull Racing, and I believe it will continue over time. It's been 20 years and we'll continue for the next 20.”

Oliver Mintzlaff's visit to the paddock seems to have quickly resolved the situation with Marko. Are you surprised?
“The rumors regarding Marko's suspension surprised us, we are not part of that branch of the company and they caught us off guard. I have known Helmut since 1996 and he has played an important role over the years, a role that has evolved season after season. I've known him for a long, long time, and I can say that at the age of 81 he is still very motivated by Formula 1, which is a good thing.”

Is your relationship with Helmut continuing as in the past?
“My relationship with Helmut is not a problem, he has always been very frank.”

What messages came from Mintzlaff? Did you receive support?
“Oliver was very supportive, as was the other CEO, Franz Watzlawick. There are three CEOs at Red Bull, and the two here in Jeddah have been very supportive. It was great to see them supporting the team.”

Max Verstappen, Red Bull Racing, Christian Horner, Team Principal, Red Bull Racing

Photo by: Sam Bloxham / Motorsport Images

How do you describe your relationship with Max at the moment?
“It's absolutely fine. Max is working very well within the team, there is no tension, there is no stress, you can see how relaxed he is in the garage and in his relationship with all the team members, and the performances are there to be seen. We don't see any problems with Max.”

If Max decides to no longer be part of this team, how would you handle the situation?
“Look, in the end they are situations that we find in many other aspects of life. You cannot force a person to be part of a group just for a piece of paper, if someone decides they no longer want to be part of this team you cannot force them to stay against their will, and this applies to all roles, which whether you are a pilot, a technician or anyone else. Being involved in a Formula 1 team like Red Bull Racing involves commitment and passion. Max has it, we've seen it, he's been here since he was 18, I don't have the slightest doubt about his commitment and his passion”.