In a stunning interview, Red Bull team principal Christian Horner informed Max Verstappen that he is free to go.
The 50-year-old’s comments come just hours after the Dutch driver won the Saudi Grand Prix, making it back-to-back wins this season.
Verstappen has threatened to leave the team over the Horner issue.
He has claimed that if Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko leaves, he will follow suit, despite an investigation into the 80-year-old possibly leaking secret material to the media.
Verstappen might switch to Mercedes, with the Silver Arrows wanting to replace Lewis Hamilton in the 2025 season.
And Horner, who has been cleared of ‘inappropriate behaviour’ towards a female colleague, has now declared that he will not stop the 26-year-old from departing.
However, he warned Verstappen that he would not find a faster car on the grid than Red Bull, which has won the Constructors’ Championship for the past two years.
Horner stated, “You can’t force someone to go somewhere merely because of a piece of paper.
“If someone does not want to be on this team, we will not compel them to be here.
“That applies whether you’re a machine operator, a designer, or someone in one of the support services that run throughout the company.
“Being part of a team like this requires dedication and passion. And Max has that; we’ve seen that.
“He has been here since he was 18 years old. And I have no doubt about his sincerity and desire.
“However, no person is bigger than the team.
“We have an amazing automobile. We have one slot open for next year. I’ve probably got 16 drivers who want to be in that vehicle next year.
“I’m sure every team in the paddock would love to have Max, but as Toto [Wolff, Mercedes boss] also said, the best drivers always want to be in the best cars.”
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