Max Verstappen and Red Bull owner snub Christian Horner's party

The exit of Christian Horner from Red Bull may open the door for Max Verstappen to consider a move to Mercedes, influencing betting odds on team transitions and championship futures.

Christian Horner spent large parts of his last 18 months at Red Bull clinging onto his job. He took public criticism from Max Verstappen's dad, Jos. He faced allegations of inappropriate behaviour from a female colleague, which he was later cleared of. And he was central in rumblings of friction between key figures at the top of the F1 team.

Horner's tenure finally came to an end last week, with Red Bull pulling the plug on his stewardship after eight Drivers' Championship titles and six Constructors' Championship titles in 20 years. But the writing appeared to be on the wall before the decision was made, as a brutal party snub made it clear that his support was wavering.

Red Bull shareholder Chalerm Yoovidhya had been a key ally of Horner's amid the off-track drama of the past year and a half. But according to Bild, Yoovidhya did not show up to a clay pigeon shooting event hosted at his former team principal's Oxford estate on July 2. The Thai billionaire was one of around 40 invited guests ahead of the British Grand Prix, and his no-show may have set alarm bells ringing for Horner.

In another concerning sign, Red Bull's star driver Verstappen was also absent. The Dutchman is believed to have cited an 'upset stomach' before giving the party a miss, with his dad previously stating that Red Bull was at risk of 'falling apart' as long as Horner was at the helm.

Once Horner's departure was announced, Verstappen kept it short and sweet with the following social media statement: "From my first race win, to four world championships, we have shared incredible successes. Winning memorable races and breaking countless records. Thank you for everything, Christian!"

Horner's grip on his Red Bull position loosened this season as the team fell further and further behind runaway Championship leaders McLaren. The team's relative lack of competitiveness has surrounded Verstappen's future in uncertainty as he looks to find his way back into a title-winning car. That has sparked the reignition of links to Mercedes after repeated attempts from team boss Toto Wolff to unite with the four-time world champion.

George Russell is out of contract at the end of the year and Wolff could secure his dream driver pairing if Verstappen joins F1 prodigy Kimi Antonelli at the Silver Arrows. In the latter stages of his Red Bull stint, Horner also struggled to overcome persistent issues with the team's second seat. From Sergio Perez to Liam Lawson to Yuki Tsunoda, a succession of talented drivers have been unable to get anywhere near Verstappen, which has hurt the team's prospects in the Constructors' Championship.

Christian Horner has been sacked as Red Bull team principal after 20 years at the helm.

Express