Red Bull has delivered a car for 64 wins and 4 titles, says Horner

Max Verstappen has once again found himself at the centre of the “silly season” rumours in Formula 1, but Red Bull boss Christian Horner has questioned their origins, noting that the Austrian team has provided their driver with a car to win and win titles.

Christian Horner and Red Bull are at a loss to explain the rumours surrounding Max Verstappen. Since the start of last year, the four-time world champion has been linked with a move away from the Milton Keynes-based team.

The Austrian team boss insists the Dutchman is committed to the energy drink-loving team, despite ongoing rumours of links to Mercedes and Aston Martin.

Although the 27-year-old won his fourth consecutive title last season, Red Bull have seen a significant drop in performance with the RB20.

This has cost Sergio Perez his place in the team due to poor form, and the problems have carried over into the current season with the RB21. However, Horner claims that the internal atmosphere is not nearly as turbulent as the media portrays it.

“Max is a huge part of our team and he is deeply involved in everything we do in development,” Horner told The Inside Track podcast.

“There is a lot of hustle and bustle outside. Sometimes we wonder where it is coming from, because internally there is no hustle and bustle,” the Briton pointed out.

“Max is focused, he is completely committed and he has expressed that commitment to the team and all the leaders in the team. Everyone is focused on upgrading the car and fighting for the championship. So, sometimes it is difficult to understand where these titles are coming from,” he points out.

Red Bull

Red Bull has secured a car for 64 victories and 4 titles

Since the beginning of last year, Red Bull has had to navigate a number of internal political situations, and the now-dismissed allegations of inappropriate behavior against Horner have been the catalyst for a power struggle within the team.

This included tensions between the Briton and Helmut Marko - who is a close ally of Verstappen - and the driver's father, Jos. This is thought to have contributed to Verstappen's alleged discontent, as well as the loss of Adrian Newey and Honda to Aston Martin.

Despite that instability, Horner is adamant that the Dutchman will remain with the team over the winter, highlighting what the team has achieved with and behind the driver.

"Yes", answered the 51-year-old when asked if Verstappen will be there next season. "He's under contract until 2028. Of course, if we can't deliver him a competitive car, he's inevitably going to ask questions about that, but he's absolutely committed."

"This team has provided him with a car that has won 64 races [and] four titles so far. He enjoys working with people. He has a great relationship with the team, the engineering staff and at the end of the day we're all in this together. And as a team, you win together, you lose together and you stick together."