Kelly Piquet's brother claims 'Max Verstappen is not the reason' behind Christian Horner being sacked by Red Bull

Nelson Piquet Jr has dismissed suggestions that Max Verstappen or his camp were directly responsible for Christian Horner’s dismissal from Red Bull Racing. Speaking on the Pelas Pistas podcast, the Brazilian, brother of Verstappen’s partner Kelly Piquet, attributed Horner’s departure to his own desire for power and control within the organisation.

Following the exits of key figures such as Adrian Newey, Jonathan Wheatley, Rob Marshall, and Will Courtenay, Horner remained the last central figure from Red Bull’s original leadership. While many insiders have speculated that his downfall was orchestrated by the Verstappen camp, Piquet Jr rejected this theory. He acknowledged that Horner and Jos Verstappen were never on cordial terms, but insisted Max Verstappen was not the driving force behind the decision.

According to Piquet Jr, the atmosphere within the team had begun to deteriorate as Horner sought to consolidate control over all aspects of the organisation, from team operations to the technical department and Red Bull Powertrains. He claimed that Horner’s refusal to delegate or share responsibility with other senior leaders contributed to growing internal unrest. In his view, it was this accumulation of discontent, rather than pressure from Verstappen’s side, that led to Horner’s removal.

Speaking in the latest edition of the Pelas Pistas podcast, Piquet Jr. said:

“What’s the reason they are struggling to keep Max? I heard it’s they have difficulty bringing some key people back or hiring. Because some didn’t like the team environment. Those little problems came up between him and Max’s father. In a way, it bothered some people, and for them to bring the people they want back, some felt that, with Christian there, it would be more difficult. That’s what people have been saying.” “It was about sharing tasks a little bit more and Horner didn’t want to do that. He wanted to maintain control over everything, both teams, over the engines; he wanted to be in control of everything. But for him, it was a win-win situation. If he gets all the power, for him, it’s a huge moral issue. And if he doesn’t, he gets a huge amount of money, almost 100 million dollars. Maybe part of that is psychological, so they can get rid of him and hire this list of people back. It’s not just because of Max,” he added.

Piquet Jr also talked about the ongoing speculation about Max Verstappen's potential move to Mercedes in 2026.

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Nelson Piquet Jr claims Max Verstappen is in talks with Mercedes for a potential move in 2026

Nelson Piquet Jr has suggested that it is now evident Max Verstappen is in active discussions with Mercedes. He claimed that the delay in announcing anything official is likely due to finalising contract details. According to the Brazilian, the four-time world champion has until August to decide his future. Piquet Jr added that it would be exciting to see a partnership between Verstappen and the Silver Arrows materialise.

Commenting on the subject of Max Verstappen moving to Mercedes, Piquet Jr said:

“They are talking, everyone knows right? Just missing final contract details, but everyone knows that it’s an option. They are talking.”

On whether the Dutchman had a deadline for the decision, he added:

“Until August, he needs to have made a decision, they will either get the final details right or not. But I think it would be pretty cool.”

As it stands, there have been no concrete developments regarding Max Verstappen’s potential move to Mercedes. Much of the current narrative remains speculative. Red Bull’s decision to dismiss Christian Horner was believed to be part of a broader effort to retain the reigning world champion within the team.

However, reports, most notably from Ralf Schumacher, suggest that Verstappen and Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff were expected to meet in Sardinia following the British GP to discuss the future. With Wolff himself admitting before Silverstone that conversations had taken place, all eyes are now on how the situation evolves, especially in the aftermath of Horner’s departure and as Red Bull begins restructuring in a bid to revive its performance and internal cohesion.

Edited by Riddhiman Sarkar