Verstappen still speaks to Horner almost weekly

Max Verstappen said at Silverstone that he still speaks to former Red Bull team principal Christian Horner "almost every week," even though the pair did not meet during Horner’s first Formula 1 paddock appearance since leaving the team.

Horner’s return to the paddock drew attention because it was the first time he had been seen in that environment since his Red Bull exit midway through 2025. But Verstappen made clear there was no significance in the lack of a face-to-face at the British Grand Prix, describing it instead as a consequence of a packed schedule during the weekend.

Asked about Horner’s presence on Sunday, Verstappen said the relationship between them remains unchanged. "I speak to Christian almost every week," he said. "I saw him on the camera walking around, but I haven't had time to meet anyone, to be honest. It's just been busy."

That answer matters because Horner had been a central figure at Red Bull for more than 20 years before leaving the team, and his departure marked one of the biggest leadership changes on the grid. Laurent Mekies has since taken over as team principal, but Verstappen’s comments suggest Horner has remained a regular presence in his life even after the formal working relationship ended.

Verstappen also indicated that their contact is not tied to race weekends or team business. When asked what they talk about, he described the conversations as personal and familiar rather than unusual. "Like you do with your friends, or people that you've known for a long time," he said.

That framing underlined the point Verstappen wanted to make at Silverstone. Horner may have walked the paddock without meeting his former driver, but the champion presented that as a scheduling issue, not a sign of distance between them.

Horner’s long-term future in Formula 1 remains unclear. He has been linked in coverage to possible roles elsewhere on the grid, particularly Alpine, but no next move is yet known. For now, Verstappen’s account shows that even after Horner’s Red Bull departure and Mekies’ arrival in charge, one of the team’s most important relationships has not disappeared with the management change.