F1 is introducing new chassis and engine rules for 2026, and it was the general belief in the sport that Mercedes will be best prepared for the revised power-units that could have motivated the Dutchman to leave.
In addition, Red Bull have slipped from competitiveness since the middle of last season – Verstappen lifted his fourth consecutive world title in 2024, but won only twice in the final 13 races.
This year, he is third in the championship at the halfway point of the season, 69 points behind the leader, McLaren’s Oscar Piastri, having won just twice in 12 grands prix. Red Bull are fourth in the constructors’ championship behind McLaren, Ferrari and Mercedes.
Asked whether there was a possibility he would not be driving for Red Bull next year, Verstappen said: “There’s also a possibility I don’t wake up tomorrow. So then there is no driving at all. So, life is unpredictable.
“But in general, I’m very happy where I’m at – and I hope. That was still the target that was set out when we signed the new deal, you know, that I would drive until the end of my career.”
Commenting on Horner’s departure, he added: “Management decided they wanted to steer the ship in a different direction, probably. And then everyone else, of course, has to anyway agree to that and look forward.
“And I am looking forward. Of course, I had already quite a few meetings with Laurent as well.
“You know, the last two weeks have been quite intense for him to jump in. But, yeah, I’m equally also excited for the team now moving forward because that’s what we have to do. You know, looking back, it doesn’t make sense. It’s not going to make you faster.”
Asked whether he was surprised by Horner’s sacking as team principal after 20 years, Verstappen said: “Surprised. I mean, at the end of the day, in this world, things like that, they can happen.
“And when they told me, it’s not like they just said, ‘this is what we just decided’, and then they hung up the phone. You know, you have a conversation about it.
“I don’t need to go into detail what they said but it was, ‘OK, if you guys think that this is the way forward, I’m the driver, you can decide, and this is how we’re going to do it’.”
In the wake of reports the Red Bull factory in Milton Keynes had been unsettled by Horner’s exit, Verstappen said: “It’s been good. Of course, when there’s a change like that, on the first day, people are a bit like, ‘OK, what’s happening?’
“But, luckily also, I think basically the day after the announcement, I was at the factory doing my simulator stuff.
“You just go back to work. We have to work on performance, setting up the car here, making sure that everything is correlated in the best way possible.”
Verstappen was also asked about the tension that had existed between Horner and his father Jos Verstappen in the past 18 months, which was exacerbated by the accusations of sexual harassment and coercive, controlling behaviour made against Horner by a female employee.
Two internal Red Bull investigations dismissed the allegations and the 51-year-old has always denied them, although the ultimate resolution to them is yet to emerge.
Verstappen added: “People can have a difference of opinion now and then, and I actually expect that to happen because if everyone always agrees there is a problem. You need to have a difference of opinion. And, yeah, that’s now something that we work with in a different direction.”
