Max Verstappen camp accused of 'lobbing hand grenades'

Former F1 driver Martin Brundle has accused Max Verstappen's camp of "lobbing hand grenades" at Red Bull following the departure of long-time team principal Christian Horner. 

It was announced last week that Horner and Red Bull had parted ways after more than 20 years together, resulting in speculation as to why.

One theory raised is that Red Bull axed the Briton to ensure Verstappen remains with the Milton Keynes-based outfit for 2026, instead of switching to Mercedes. 

An official reason why Horner was axed is yet to be released, with Brundle unsure for certain if the camp of the four-time F1 champion was involved. 

However, Brundle does believe the Dutchman's team has been causing problems, in particular, his father, Jos. 

Former F1 driver Jos Verstappen spoke out against Horner to the media on several occasions, insisting he was not fit to lead Red Bull.

Discussing if the Verstappen camp played a role in Horner's exit, Brundle told the Sky F1 podcast: "I don't know, but what's absolutely clear is that the Verstappen camp have been lobbing in hand grenades for quite some months now, and some of them have gone off, and it's been pretty relentless in that respect. 

"And I think at times, Max's dad, Jos, has made it absolutely clear that he thinks Christian shouldn't be leading the company and leading the team. 

"So I would say yes, they've played a key role in Christian's exit. But I say, unless you're in the office behind closed doors, then you don't know for certain. 

"But there are certain things I do know, and certain things I have seen and heard that make me think they were pretty involved in this decision."