Red Bull Unlikely to Rebound After Horner Exit, According to Schumacher
Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content.
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 Horner has been replaced by former Racing Bulls team principal, Laurent Mekies.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."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda Open up About First Race With New Red Bull Boss
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Max Verstappen and Yuki Tsunoda have opened up about the upcoming Belgian Grand Prix, their first race with new Red Bull Racing CEO and team principal Laurent Mekies. Mekies, who led Red Bull's junior F1 team Racing Bulls, replaced Christian Horner after the British Grand Prix. Mekies is Red Bull's first team boss after Horner since the team's inception in 2005. While the reason for Horner's sudden ousting remains unknown, Mekies' promotion to Red Bull arrives at a time when the team has been experiencing ongoing struggles with its RB21 car. For the first time in the current ground effect era, beginning in 2022, Verstappen isn't leading the Drivers' Championship. Tsunoda was promoted from Racing Bulls after the Chinese Grand Prix, swapping places with Liam Lawson, who was demoted to the team. The Japanese driver has been struggling to adapt to the RB21, a challenge similar to the one that his predecessors, Lawson and Sergio Perez both experienced. Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Yuki Tsunoda of Japan and Oracle Red Bull Racing talk on the fan forums stage prior to final practice ahead of the F1 Grand... Max Verstappen of the Netherlands and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Yuki Tsunoda of Japan and Oracle Red Bull Racing talk on the fan forums stage prior to final practice ahead of the F1 Grand Prix of Austria at Red Bull Ring on June 28, 2025 in Spielberg, Austria. MoreAdditionally, there are rumors of Verstappen's ongoing talks with Mercedes for a potential switch in 2026, which could concern Mekies. Speaking to about the upcoming race at Spa with Mekies, Verstappen said: "I was back at the factory last week to spend some time in the sim with the team. I'm looking forward to working closely with Laurent. "Spa is a classic and always my favourite track on the calendar, a very old school circuit where you have to do everything right to get a good lap. I enjoy the high-speed corners such as Eau Rouge, the layout which is different to other circuits and elevation changes that make the track more of a challenge to drive." Tsunoda's experience working with Mekies at Racing Bulls will help him bond again. He added: "We are coming into this race in a new era for the team and it will be good to link up again with Laurent. We worked really well together at... Racing Bulls. I know how he likes to work and our full focus is on pushing forward and for me personally to start delivering the performance we need. "Spa is a fun circuit and one that could suit us well. The Sprint always makes things tricky but the work and preparation we have done in this off time should set us up nicely. "I have spent the time off racing mixed between training very hard and using the break to mentally reset. I wanted to be the best prepared I could be coming into Spa and in better condition, mentally and physically. I am feeling strong and sharp and looking forward to these next two races before summer break."
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
Liam Lawson Breaks Silence on Yuki Tsunoda's Red Bull Struggles
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Racing Bulls driver Liam Lawson has commented on Yuki Tsunoda's ongoing struggles at Red Bull Racing, following his swap with Tsunoda early in the season. The Japanese driver has been experiencing challenges with the RB21 F1 car, leading to a significant gap in performance to his teammate, Max Verstappen. Lawson was promoted to Red Bull from the sister F1 team, Racing Bulls, after the 2024 season, replacing Sergio Perez. However, his underwhelming performances in the first two rounds of the 2025 season led Red Bull to swap him with Tsunoda. However, Tsunoda has been facing similar problems to those encountered by Lawson and Perez. He has been struggling to adapt to Red Bull's F1 car, which is reportedly suited to Verstappen. Perez, Lawson, and Tsunoda didn't come close to matching Verstappen's performance, a point that hints at the theory of the car being designed around the four-time world champion. Tsunoda has scored points in three races out of the 12 Grands Prix that have gone by thus far, with his best position being P9. Lawson has scored points in two races with a best finish of P6. Yuki Tsunoda of Japan and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls talk on the drivers parade prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Japan at... Yuki Tsunoda of Japan and Oracle Red Bull Racing and Liam Lawson of New Zealand and Visa Cash App Racing Bulls talk on the drivers parade prior to the F1 Grand Prix of Japan at Suzuka Circuit on April 06, 2025 in Suzuka, Japan. MoreThe New Zealander revealed that he does feel less burdened when witnessing Tsunoda's difficulties with Red Bull's challenger, given his demotion after the second round in China. When asked by Sky Sports F1 if watching Tsunoda struggle reduced the pressure on him, Lawson said: "Potentially yes. At the same time, I had two races and honestly didn't get to grips with it at all in that time, so it is something I won't know. "It was a couple of very tough weekends, and I worked my whole career to get to Red Bull Racing, and it was a tough start to the season. "I'm super proud of the guys and girls because there has been a lot of work to help me get comfortable in this car, and it has felt good." Lawson revealed in another interview that Red Bull did not give him enough time to adapt to the RB21. Newsweek Sports reported: "I didn't have anywhere near enough time on two tracks that I had never been to to really understand [the car]. I didn't have enough feel for the car to be able to comment on what its speed is like or things like that. "We were working on things to improve it and make it better for me, and I never got the chance to use it, so all I can comment on is the Racing Bulls car because that's what I've spent most of my time driving."
Newsweek
4 hours ago
- Newsweek
Ferrari F1 Team Principal Details Belgian GP Approach With New Upgrade Package
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Ferrari Formula One team principal Fred Vasseur has spoken about his team's strategy for this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, given the reduced number of practice sessions due to the sprint race. Additionally, Ferrari is introducing a new upgrade package for the SF-25 F1 car, and as a result, it will have to get its setup right in the first practice session. With the race at Spa-Francorchamps being a sprint weekend, teams will have a single practice session on Friday before sprint qualifying, and Ferrari will aim to fine-tune the SF-25's setup quickly for both Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc. The Belgian GP sprint race will take place on Saturday, followed by the qualifying session for Sunday's main race. Ferrari could be more confident going into this weekend, since it reportedly tested a new rear suspension last week that likely addresses the SF-25's ride height problems. The test would have also been beneficial in shortlisting an ideal setup for the race weekend, given the tight schedule. Vasseur stressed that Ferrari team members back at the Maranello factory have worked hard to bring in a timely upgrade package for the race at Spa. Revealing that the team will have to be on its toes from the first practice session, he said: Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur on the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 28, 2024 in Spa, Belgium. Ferrari team principal Fred Vasseur on the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Belgium at Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps on July 28, 2024 in Spa, Belgium."We have worked hard at the factory to bring an additional upgrade package for the SF-25. Therefore, a point of focus this weekend will be to make sure we maximise its potential from the get-go. "As always with a Sprint weekend, getting off to a strong start with a smooth free practice session will hold the key to the rest of the weekend. "The margins between the teams are very close at the moment, therefore, every small detail can make the difference, so we'll stay focused on ourselves to give our best in every phase of the weekend, on a track where the weather could also play its part." The Belgian GP could play out as a wet race given a 60 percent chance of rain on Sunday afternoon, a point that could raise alarms for Hamilton. The seven-time world champion admitted after the previous race at Silverstone that the SF-25 was difficult to drive in such conditions. He said: "The tires dropped off massively. The car was unbelievably tricky to drive. "I think ultimately I learned a lot today. It's only my second time driving in this car, and I can't even express to you how hard it is. "It's not a car that likes those conditions, but having lots of data to take from this, for me it's worth a sit down with the people that designed the car for this year, because there's elements of this car that can never be changed." Perhaps, the new suspension could make all the difference Hamilton is looking for, but only time will tell.
