redsnowdrop

[redsnowdrop]

Shocking news has rocked the F1 world: after 20 years at the helm of the team, Red Bull has fired Chris Horner, effective immediately. The Austrian team confirmed the news with an official statement after the news circulated in some international media. Laurent Mekies, former Ferrari sporting director and head of the Racing Bulls team from 2024, will take his place as CEO and team principal. Alan Permane, who headed the former Toro Rosso team, will replace Mekies.

The 51-year-old British manager had been in charge of the team since 2005, the first year of the Red Bull brand in F1. Under his leadership, they won eight drivers' titles (four with Sebastian Vettel, four with Max Verstappen) and six constructors' titles.

The Austrian team has not disclosed the reasons for its decision, but media reports suggest the decision was made after an emergency meeting after the Silverstone GP between co-owners Chalerm Yoovidhya and Mark Mateschitz and corporate CEO Oliver Mintzlaff. The underlying reason is Max Verstappen's frustration with his recent performances (and perhaps a desire to retaliate against Mercedes' attempts to target him), as well as the scandal he was involved in last season, which will soon be back in the news as his trial for inappropriate behavior toward a team employee begins in early 2026.

VERSTAPPEN'S MANAGER: "GET INFORMED IN ADVANCE, NOTHING WILL CHANGE FOR US"

"We were informed in advance by Red Bull management that this decision had been made," Raymond Vermeulen, Max Verstappen's manager, told Dutch outlet De Telegraaf. "It's up to Red Bull to provide further explanations on the reasons. We continue to focus on the sporting aspect and aim for better performances to return to the top. From this perspective, nothing will change."

-> F1 Masterlist <-

Source: Sport Mediaset

[redsnowdrop]

[redsnowdrop]

[redsnowdrop]

“Stop telling yourself that the grass is greener on the other side, because it’s not. It is greener where you water it. So take control of your life and start watering your own pastures and grow your own greener.”

— knowanoah

[redsnowdrop]

In cooldown room

Piastri: Apparently you can't brake behind the safety car

Hulkenberg: Well it caused issues all the way back to me, we had to avoid cars

[redsnowdrop]

Cadillac have reportedly tried to convince Daniel Ricciardo to drive for the team in 2026 over the last few months but the Aussie is not keen on a return and considers his F1 career Over.

Bottas is keen on the move with talks next week, Perez has an offer and is considering it and Felipe Drugovich is open to joining the team.

-> F1 Masterlist <-

[redsnowdrop]

Max: "Life goes on."

SKY: "At Red Bull or somewhere else?"

Max: "I don't want to talk about that."

-> F1 Masterlist <-

[redsnowdrop]

"Italians, oh my god. There's literally a scheduled time in the day, lunch, they can never ever miss.

Sometimes I go into the garage to talk to my mechanics. I'm like, where is everyone? 'They're at lunch'. I think they're the only team that does that."

Lewis Hamilton

(As an Italian myself… it’s true…)

[redsnowdrop]

For the first time in his career, Max Verstappen won't be accompanied by Gianpiero Lambiase this weekend.

-> F1 Masterlist <-

GP won't be in Austria due to "private circumstances".

Simon Rennie will take his place.

[redsnowdrop]

FERRARI’S PROBLEMS

-> F1 Masterlist <-

According to former Formula 1 world champion Nico Rosberg, the Ferrari team is close to an epochal change. For 82 years, the Prancing Horse has been working in the Maranello headquarters, in the heart of the “motor valley”, since the legendary Enzo Ferrari moved his car company there after his origins in Modena.

Now, however, it cannot be ruled out that Ferrari, which is going through a deep crisis during the 2025 world championship, with rumors of Leclerc and Vasseur leaving, is thinking of landing beyond national borders, an event that if confirmed would be sensational.

"I've seen a bit of how the internal mechanisms of Ferrari work," said Nico Rosberg speaking to the SkySports F1 podcast, "and you can see that their level of excellence is not comparable to that of the British teams - and especially Mercedes - in many areas, starting with marketing." According to the former German driver, therefore, Maranello would be a step backwards compared to the Formula 1 teams in certain "modern" aspects, let's call them that. The former Mercedes driver continued: “The fact that they are in Italy makes everything much more difficult for them,” before referring to his own experience: “For example, in Mercedes, whenever Lewis had something to say, he would turn to Toto Wolff, who would immediately make the decision and decide on his own. Done. While in Ferrari there are so many people making the decisions, and even Lewis doesn’t really know what to say: ‘Okay, if I ask him, he says yes and does it, and then the other one keeps complaining’. It’s all a bit complicated there,” thus underlining an excessive bureaucracy, perhaps a bit typical of Italy.

Then Rosberg clarifies: "There are a couple of ideas that I've heard circulating. I think Ferrari is considering opening some sort of branch in the United Kingdom, because that's where the F1 ecosystem is. I've heard rumors - he reiterates - that they're thinking about it too".

The United Kingdom is the home par excellence of Formula 1 teams and across the Channel there are Mercedes, Red Bull, McLaren, Aston Martin, Williams and Racing Bulls. Alpine is also based in Enston despite the engines being made in France, while Sauber is Swiss and Audi is German. Finally, Haas is divided between the United States, Maranello (for the Ferrari engine) and Banbury.

Is the Prancing Horse really ready for what would be an epochal change? We will have to wait and see if Rosberg's rumors will be confirmed. In the meantime, these are hectic days in Maranello not only for the SF-25, which is anything but high-performance, but also for the possible postponement of the brand's first electric supercar, which according to Reuters could only be released in 2028.

Source: Roberto “Maz” Mazzu

[redsnowdrop]

Ferrari not expected to bring major upgrades for the Austrian GP

-> F1 Masterlist <-

Austria could suit the SF-25’s characteristics better, so only minor changes are expected instead of big updates.

Ferrari management believes the potential seen in simulations is not being reflected on track.

Source: la gazzetta Ferrari

[redsnowdrop]

-> F1 Masterlist <-

[redsnowdrop]

CANADA GP -

FIA’S DECISIONS

-> F1 Masterlist <-

Lando Norris receives a 5-second time penalty for his incident with Oscar Piastri.

Kimi Antonelli receives a warning for his Safety Car infringement. He keeps P3.

No penalties given to the drivers investigated (Antonelli, Piastri, Leclerc, Ocon, Sainz, Gasly and Stroll) for Safety Car infringements. Only warnings handed out.

The FIA have rejected Red Bull's protest against George Russell. Race results are unchanged.

Source: Formularacers via X

[redsnowdrop]

CANADA GP - BRAINSTORMING

-> F1 Masterlist <-

CONTRATULATIONS GEORGE! Fantastic weekend! Pole and win! Absolutely amazing! Great pace, great defence! Well done, a deserved win!

And Kimi, my sweet sweet bolognese, your first podium! 18 years and 4 months old, the man you are! Fantastico!

MCLAREN! Lando what have you done?! I believe Andrea Stella or Zack Brown scolded him and reminded him that he is now the second driver. Why do I believe this? His team radio after the incident; there is no driver on the planet who is that lucid to admit on the spot that mistake. Also, never believed Lando is that emphatic. Anyway, he made a mistake and recognised it. He’s growing or trying to win back the trust? Oscar was absolutely amazing, good race, good pace, great defence. No more comment, just “stunning”. I can see a champion here…

Max is simply lovely, he’s showing his great talent and strength. No more words to describe him apart from “perfection”. I’m so sorry for Yuki, he was achieving much more in alpha tauri than in Red Bull, I can sense his disappointment. We all own a big ass apology to Perez…

Ferrari what a disappointment; if Leclerc asks for something you do what he says. He’s driving the car, his ass is on the spot and the strategy must adapt to his needs and believes. If he’s wrong you will chant something like “stupid stupid stupid”, but this whole shitty strategy pattern must stop now! We are the laughing stock of the motorsport and I’m so done with it. It’s not plausible seeing Ferrari dominating every other competition and in F1 we are this stupid! Hamilton, sorry for the race and even more sorry for the groundhog.

Albon: sorry for the late retirement but he’s being quite a menace lately, good quali and gods pace in race. So sorry for the engine issue but anyway he’s doing pretty good lately. Sainz? Better race than quali but not his best weekend.

Alonso, good quali but worst race. His team radio makes worth watching the Grand Prix. Stroll, great disappointment in his home race, hopes he can do better next time.

Colapinto was quite impressing today, the race against Albon, finished 13 -which is not the worst result in such circumstances-. Gasly a bit anonymous.

Let me know what you think!

xoxo

[redsnowdrop]

According to Giulia Toninelli for the Gazzetta dello Sport, Max Verstappen will leave Red Bull at the end of 2025.

-> F1 Masterlist <-

"Max is most worried about the change in regulations expected for 2026, when Red Bull will switch from the current Honda engines to its own power units, in an ambitious project that is not, however, producing the desired results. By staying in the team, Max would thus risk finding himself stuck for at least another season in a disastrous sporting situation, and having to continue to maintain the precarious balance that has been created within the garage after the crisis experienced in 2024", the article reads.

••Two teams are interested in him: Aston Martin, with a clear advantage, and Mercedes, which is already busy with George Russell and Kimi Antonelli.

Charles Leclerc denies rumours’ link

[redsnowdrop]

CHARLES LECLERC DENIES RUMOURS ABOUT LEAVING FERRARI

-> F1 Masterlist <-

“No comment about proposal or rumours, it is clear that I love Ferrari: I want to win in red”

Charles, my dear, we don’t deserve you

Apparently Toto was interested in taking Max and Charles (to the detriment of George) and also Charles himself was about to look around looking for a more suitable replacement. Those were all the rumours, Charles denied them today.

Max’s rumours’ link

Let me know what you think!

xoxo

[redsnowdrop]

Arvid Lindblad has been granted a FIA Super Licence exception upon request by Red Bull!

-> F1 Masterlist <-

Source: RBR Daily

What do you think?

There is the 18+ rule, I believe they requested this exception not for the next year (he’s turning 18 in two months) but in case Max receives a race ban. I don’t think it’s fair: there is a rule, respect it.