Max Verstappen: F1 is ‘less stressful’ after Christian Horner’s Red Bull exit

Max Verstappen insists a potential Christian Horner comeback is not required to reignite the paddock (David Davies/PA)

Max Verstappen has claimed the Formula One paddock is “less stressful” following Christian Horner’s exit from the sport because “it is not nice when you constantly have tension between people”.

Despite being sidelined by Red Bull more than a year ago, Horner’s possible comeback remains one of the hottest topics in F1.

Horner, 52, has already declared “unfinished business” and recently spoke of his “dream” to lead Ferrari, forcing the Italian giants to declare “full confidence” in team principal Fred Vasseur.

Verstappen, who claimed his first victory of the season with a brilliant drive at last weekend’s rain-hit Bahrain Grand Prix in Malaysia, took all four of his world championships with Horner at the helm.

Horner’s sparring with counterpart Toto Wolff, and latterly Zak Brown, shaped F1 for much of the past decade as Mercedes, McLaren and Red Bull fought on the biggest stage.

However, Verstappen insisted a potential Horner comeback is not required to reignite a paddock once compared to a ‘Piranha Club’ because of its ferocity.

In an interview with the Press Association, Verstappen said: “To be honest, I like to see that people get on. It is not nice when you constantly have tension between people.

“Of course, from the outside, people like it, but honestly between the teams, it is better when you have just a friendly relationship.

“It is not as spicy, but I obviously quite like how things are going at the moment, with everyone’s behaviour, let’s put it like that.

“It is less stressful. We are all leading a stressful life and, when you can take a bit of stress out of it at times, it is good.”

“He has shown he did a good job. Of course, people spread a lot of rumours (about Horner’s future), and I don’t know how much of that is true.

“I don’t want to sound rude, but it is also not my problem or concern. He wants to come back, and if there is a good opportunity, I am sure he will do it, but I don’t know where that is going to be.”

Verstappen put aside his disdain for the sport’s regulations to sign a new contract with Red Bull and commit his future to the sport for another four years.

The 72nd win of his career, in Malaysia – which leaves him behind only Lewis Hamilton (106) and Michael Schumacher (91) – arrived just days after Fernando Alonso signed a new Aston Martin deal to extend his stay in F1 beyond his 46th birthday.

“Staying here until then would mean I have dedicated more than half of my life to Formula One, and that is probably a bit too much,” said 29-year-old Verstappen.

“I have extended for a few more years, and then I will look again and say to myself, ‘Can I commit 100 per cent?’, and if not, or there are other fun things around that deserves more time, than maybe I don’t continue. I also want to spend more time at home and see the kids growing up.”

Verstappen spoke with other teams – including McLaren – before re-signing with Red Bull. But would he be tempted to follow in the footsteps of Schumacher and Hamilton and drive for Ferrari? The tifosi unusually sang Verstappen’s name beneath the podium following the Italian Grand Prix last month.

“I only want to win,” he said. “I am not a nostalgic type. Do I have a lot of respect for the (Ferrari) brand? Absolutely. But if that means you then commit yourself, and you are driving P5 or P6, what’s the point?

“I am very performance-driven, and I have won a lot with this team already. It is a second family at Red Bull, and the challenge of rebuilding is what’s driving me.”