McLaren CEO Zak Brown anticipates that the recently dismissed Christian Horner will certainly return to motorsport. The American would find it strange if the Brit, ‘with his experience in motorsport’, completely bids farewell to the sport. Brown also admits to having expected Horner’s sudden departure from Red Bull, contrary to Horner himself.
Christian Horner was fired as team boss at Red Bull in early July. The news came as a ‘shock’ to the Brit himself, as he told Red Bull employees in his farewell speech. For Zak Brown, CEO of rival McLaren, the departure of his competitor was less surprising. “Perhaps the timing was surprising, but not the outcome,” Brown tells TSN. “There has been so much drama over the past few years, and it never seemed to change.”
Last year, Horner was accused of inappropriate behavior towards a Red Bull employee. The then team boss was later acquitted, but since then Horner has had to deal with, among other things, the departure of several key figures within Red Bull, including top designer Adrian Newey, and deteriorating performances on the track. “Perhaps things even started to go worse within Red Bull, so it doesn’t surprise me at all that they (Red Bull) kicked him (Horner) out halfway through the season,” says Brown.
Keeping an Eye on Max
McLaren currently leads the season halfway through both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships. However, according to Brown, the threat from Red Bull is not entirely over. “We still need to watch out for Max Verstappen, he’s right behind us (in the drivers’ championship),” says the American. He also mentions being an “interested observer” amidst rumors of a potential move to Mercedes by Max Verstappen.
Horner’s Return to Motorsport?
Brown is also keeping an eye on Horner. The American expects the former British team boss to reappear in motorsport. “Given his age and his history in motorsport, I would be surprised if he didn’t pop up somewhere in the sport,” says the McLaren CEO. “But I don’t know what his other interests are, whether he wants to lead a football team or whatever. So we’ll see.”
