Red Bull Unlikely to Rebound After Horner Exit, According to Schumacher
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Red Bull's competitiveness will be under the scanner when Formula One returns next weekend for the Belgian Grand Prix, given the sudden ousting of former team principal Christian Horner. Former Formula One driver Ralf Schumacher believes Red Bull will be unable to add significant performance to its car, especially in 2026, which could push Max Verstappen to Mercedes.
Red Bull hasn't had a great start to the 2025 season. The campaign began with Verstappen struggling with his RB21 F1 car, which followed speculation about his potential switch to Mercedes. Following the British Grand Prix, Red Bull decided to part ways with Horner, adding to the team's uncertain future, especially considering that F1 enters a new era of regulations next year. Horner has been replaced by former Racing Bulls team principal, Laurent Mekies.
Related: Red Bull to Part Ways With Yuki Tsunoda After 2025 Season: Report
Red Bull has been developing the power units for the 2026 car for the first time, collaborating with automotive giant Ford under the Red Bull Powertrains banner. But with the team struggling to solve issues on the current car, Schumacher doubts Red Bull's 2026 car, designed by technical director Pierre Waché, will match the performance of the cars designed by former Red Bull technical director Adrian Newey, who moved to Aston Martin this year.
Revealing that Horner's exit won't change the technical side of things at Red Bull for the short-term future, Schumacher said on the Backstage Boxengasse podcast:
Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing talks with Gianpiero Lambiase, Head of Racing of Oracle Red Bull Racing in the garage during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Great...
Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing talks with Gianpiero Lambiase, Head of Racing of Oracle Red Bull Racing in the garage during qualifying ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 05, 2025 in Northampton, England. More"The change of team principal will not change anything in the technical team for the time being. Designer Pierre Waché will continue to build the car next year.
"It almost looks as if he will not be able to close this gap, replace Adrian Newey in any way and build a car capable of winning. Red Bull will therefore face a difficult time."
Mercedes driver George Russell admitted recently that his contract extension discussions were on hold due to the team's ongoing talks with Verstappen. Team principal Toto Wolff also acknowledged the discussions, but stressed that Russell and Andrea Kimi Antonelli will likely form the 2026 driver lineup.
Despite the assurance, rumors surrounding Verstappen and Mercedes continue to do the rounds after Horner's exit. Schumacher added that the four-time world champion will have to consider a Mercedes switch if he intends to find performance next year. He said:
"Verstappen is in a dilemma. The signs are not good for Red Bull at the moment. If Max Verstappen wants to have short-term success next year, he will have to look elsewhere.
"I therefore believe that the journey is heading towards Mercedes. I could imagine that he himself is still struggling because he is naturally attached to Red Bull."
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Forbes
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When Is The 2025 F1 Belgian Grand Prix? Times And Watch Guide
Charles Leclerc of Ferrari during first practice ahead of the Formula 1 Belgian Grand Prix at ... More Spa-Francorchamps in Spa, Belgium on July 26, 2024. (Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images) Formula 1 resumes action this weekend at the Belgian Grand Prix from July 25-27, with Spa-Francorchamps hosting the third sprint of the 2025 season. Things have now pretty much boiled down to a two-horse title race between McLaren duo Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris after the latter scored two successive wins at Red Bull Ring and Silverstone for the first time in his career. The Briton positioned himself just eight points behind his teammate in the drivers' standings, now looking to complete a hat trick of victories this weekend and rack up extra points in the sprint in the hopes of heading into the summer break on top. NORTHAMPTON, ENGLAND - JULY 06: Race winner Lando Norris of Great Britain and McLaren Second placed ... More Oscar Piastri of Australia and McLaren Zak Brown, Chief Executive Officer of McLaren and the McLaren team celebrate during the F1 Grand Prix of Great Britain at Silverstone Circuit on July 06, 2025 in Northampton, England. (Photo by) It's going to be a busy weekend, yet the big talking point at the moment remains the dawn of a new era for Red Bull after the firing of its long-standing team principal, with Belgium marking the team's first grand prix without Christian Horner at the helm. The Briton has steered the ship since the Milton Keynes outfit joined the F1 grid back in 2005, leading the squad to 14 titles during his tenure. New team boss Laurent Mekies now has big shoes to fill and it remains to be seen how he manages the pressure and challenges ahead in getting the squad back on track. Right now, the team is sitting in fourth place in the constructors' standings with 172 points in 12 rounds, which is quite a gap of 288 points behind the leaders McLaren. Their star driver, Max Verstappen, has been having a tough time getting the problematic RB21 car to catch up with the Woking squad's formidable pace. He has only managed to score two wins so far in Japan and Emilia Romagna and is currently sitting in third place in the standings, trailing Norris by 61 points and Piastri by 69 points. The team's current struggles and internal turmoil have made Verstappen's future up in the air, and the recent structure change only makes it seem more and more like he could be on his way out. Mercedes boss Toto Wolff is undoubtedly keeping a close watch on the Dutchman's situation, perhaps hoping to lure him over to the Silver Arrows. Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps Stats F1 2025 Belgian Grand Prix Schedule Spa-Francorchamps, the longest track and one of the fastest on the F1 calendar, plays host to the third sprint of the season this weekend. This means teams will only have one free practice session to test car setups and gather crucial data. Free Practice 1 (FP1) kicks off at 12:30 p.m. local time (CEST) on Friday, July 25, followed by the sprint qualifying later in the day at 4:30 p.m. On Saturday, July 26, drivers will battle it out in the 62-mile sprint at 12 p.m. before they fight for grid positions in the grand prix qualifying at 4 p.m. The main race will kick off at 3 p.m. on Sunday, July 27. Belgian Grand Prix 2025: Free Practice 1 Start Times All below start times are on Friday unless stated otherwise. Belgian Grand Prix 2025: Sprint Qualifying Start Times All below start times are on Friday unless stated otherwise. Belgian Grand Prix 2025: Sprint Start Times All below start times are on Saturday unless stated otherwise. Belgian Grand Prix 2025: Qualifying Start Times All below start times are on Saturday unless stated otherwise. Belgian Grand Prix 2025: Race Start Times All below start times are on Sunday unless stated otherwise. How To Watch 2025 F1 Belgian Grand Prix Fans in the United States can catch the live action across ESPN platforms. ESPN2 will air the practice session (FP1) and grand prix qualifying, while sprint qualifying can be watched on ESPNU. Both the sprint and Sunday's main race will be broadcast on ESPN, with Spanish coverage available throughout the weekend on ESPN3 and ESPN Deportes. Meanwhile, viewers in the United Kingdom can enjoy extensive coverage of the weekend on Sky Sports. The channel's hit show, Ted's Notebook, will return to the screen this weekend following the sprint, qualifying and the race, and it will also be available on ESPN3. In select regions, F1 TV Pro subscribers can tune in for live coverage on any device, along with the opportunity to catch up on full session replays and highlights afterward. Below is the broadcast information for some key territories: Highlights from each day of the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix weekend will be available on F1's YouTube channel. F1 Drivers' Standings Ahead Of The 2025 Belgian Grand Prix F1 Constructors' Standings Ahead Of The 2025 Belgian Grand Prix
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How to watch Belgian Grand Prix 2025 online: live stream F1 race from anywhere
This weekend's Belgian Grand Prix live streams kickstart the 2025 Formula 1 season again following an eventful British Grand Prix and a three-week break. Exactly halfway through the 2025 season, just 12 points separate Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris at the top of the drivers' standings. With reigning champion Max Verstappen a further 61 points back, it's looking likely that McLaren will finally bring an end to their 17-year wait for a championship — but will it be an Australian or a Brit who brings it home? The Grand Prix weekend at the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps sees the third Sprint contest of the year, which gives Norris another opportunity to make up points on his teammate. He took first place and eight points at the last one in Miami. Piastri, however, has finished second both times, which he'd probably be happy to replicate in Belgium on Saturday. In this article you can find out how to watch the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix as it happens. You'll also find all the information you need on the schedule, race start times around the world, track location, history and more. The 2025 Belgian Grand Prix takes place on Sunday, July 27 at 3 p.m. local time at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps in east Belgium. That's 9 a.m. ET / 2 p.m. BST. U.S. (ET) U.K. (BST) Australia (AEST) Practice 1 6:30 a.m. ET (Fri) ESPN2 / Hulu+Live TV (3-day free trial) 11:30 a.m. (Fri) Sky Sports / Now 8.30 p.m. (Fri) Foxtel FoxSports / Kayo (7 days free) Sprint Qualifying 10:30 a.m. ET (Fri) ESPN U / Hulu+Live TV (3-day free trial) 3:30 p.m. (Fri) Sky Sports / Now 12:30 a.m. (Sat) Foxtel FoxSports / Kayo (7 days free) Sprint 6 a.m. ET (Sat) ESPN / Hulu+Live TV (3-day free trial) 11 a.m. (Sat) Sky Sports / Now 8 p.m. (Sun) Foxtel FoxSports / Kayo (7 days free) Qualifying 10 a.m. ET (Sat) ESPN2 / Hulu+Live TV (3-day free trial) 3 p.m. (Sat) Sky Sports / Now 12 a.m. (Sun) Foxtel FoxSports / Kayo (7 days free) Grand Prix 9 a.m. ET (Sun) ESPN /Hulu+Live TV (3-day free trial) 2 p.m. (Sun) Sky Sports / Now 11 p.m. (Sun) Foxtel FoxSports / Kayo (7 days free) If you're a US resident, you can watch the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix with Hulu+Live TV. The srevice includes Hulu, Disney Plus and the all important ESPN channels and ESPN+ for Formula 1. Prices start from $81.99/month and you will be able to watch the action live through ESPN on Hulu+Live TV. Right now you can make use of its 3-day free trial which will give you the chance to try the service before purchasing it on a monthly basis. Outside the States right now? Make sure to use a VPN to access Hulu+Live TV — more on that below. Live outside the U.S.? We have full information on watching F1 on TV with this guide or we have our short list below: The entire Belgian Grand Prix 2025 weekend is set to be shown absolutely FREE on local Belgium streaming services such as VRT Max and RTBF. If you're visiting the U.S., U.K., Australia or anywhere else from Belgium right now you can still catch all three days for free. Just use NordVPN and select a server in Belgium and you'll be good to go! Other select European countries can also watch the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix for free: Austria:ORF provides FREE F1 live streams of every other race, including this one. Luxembourg:RTL Zwee keeps you across the action in every single 2025 Formula 1 race. Away from home this week and blocked from watching the race? You can still watch your usual Belgian Grand Prix live stream thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software makes your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. Ideal for F1 fans away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN. It's the best on the market: NordVPN deal: FREE $50 / £50 Amazon gift card Boasting lightning fast speeds, great features, streaming power, and class-leading security, NordVPN is our #1 VPN. ✅ FREE Amazon gift card worth up to $50/£50✅ 4 months extra FREE!✅ 76% off usual price Use Nord to unblock RTBF and watch the Belgian Grand Prix live online with our exclusive deal. We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing. Not long after the completion of each Grand Prix, the official Formula 1 YouTube channel puts out a 5-10 minute highlights package from the race. Alternatively, if you don't mind waiting a few hours to watch the action, the U.K.'s free-to-watch Channel 4 streaming service hosts an extended highlights program that then becomes available on demand — Belgium Grand Prix highlights are available from 6:30 p.m. BST on Sunday evening. To watch that coverage when outside of the U.K., you'll need to use a good VPN — full details above. Lights out for the start of the 2025 Belgian Grand Prix is set for 3 p.m. local time at Spa-Francorchamps on Sunday, July 27. Here are the 2025 Belgium Grand Prix start times in Europe, India, South Africa and other worldwide locations: So, that's how to watch the Belgian Grand Prix and all the race timings sorted. Now here's some F1 Belgium GP FAQs for everything else you want to know about the upcoming race. The 2025 Belgian Grand Prix takes place over 44 laps of the 7.004-kilometre Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on Sunday, July 27. A hit with drivers and fans alike, the Grand Prix weekend at the Spa circuit is a bucket list item for any petrolhead. It combines rolling hills with huge high-speed straights that have left many an F1 engine smouldering. Having hosted a (non-championship) Grand Prix as long ago as 1924, Spa is one of the oldest races on the F1 calendar. It's an unashamedly 'old school' track that looks picturesque to those watching on TV — but it can be deadly for drivers and cars. The mix of challenging straights and whip-fast corners suits drivers at the peak of their powers. Keep an eye on the Eau Rouge, the thrilling sequence of bends that sees the drivers flick left, right and then up the hill through Raidillon. The next Formula 1 race after the Belgian GP is the Hungarian Grand Prix at the Hungaroring near Budapest. It takes place in one week on Sunday, August 3. Lewis Hamilton, then of Mercedes, was ultimately the official winner of the Belgian Grand Prix last year — one of only two wins for the seven-time world champion in 2024. Fellow Brit George Russell actually took the chequered flag first, but was eventually disqualified after his car failed to meet the minimum weight requirement. Oscar Piastri and Charles Leclerc completed the podium. Sergio Pérez holds the official lap record at Spa. Driving in the Red Bull, he posted a time of 1:44.701 at the 2024 Belgian Grand Prix. Lewis Hamilton holds the unofficial lap record with a time of 1:41.252, set in 2020. Michael Schumacher won the Belgian Grand Prix six times and Ayrton Senna won five times, including four consecutively from 1988 to 1991. Lewis Hamilton's controversial victory in 2024 took him to five also, while Jim Clark and Kimi Raikkonen have four victories apiece.
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Yuki Tsunoda Reveals Harsh Truth About Red Bull's RB21 F1 Car
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