Red Bull have opened up contract talks with Christian Horner, with the aim of extending his contract with the team. Horner, by far and away the most experienced Team Principal in F1, having worked in the position ever since Red Bull joined Formula 1 back in 2005, has just overseen the squad's return to the front of the sport as Max Verstappen claimed the Drivers' World Championship for 2021. This marked the team's first title win since 2013, when Red Bull and Sebastian Vettel wrapped up the two titles, and the goal is now to keep Horner at the helm. "We are working on a new contract that will link him to Red Bull until 2026," team advisor Helmut Marko told Red Bull-owned ServusTV. Marko, appearing alongside Verstappen, winked at the new Champion and said: "We spoke to him before you!"
Aiming for stability
Red Bull have proven to have a particularly stable management structure, with key personnel like Horner, Marko and designer Adrian Newey all in their positions for 15 years or longer. With the team rediscovering their winning ways in the hybrid era, Marko has said that there's no need to go looking for fresh blood. "We are going for stability in the key positions within the team for the transitional year in which the new engine formula and the new chassis rules will go into effect," Marko said. The Austrian then went on to praise Horner for how he got to grips with F1 and grew over the years, having had no experience when he took on the role. "He had zero experience in Formula 1 at the time," added Marko. "But I knew him from Formula 3000 and knew how ambitious he was and what he had to offer. Since then, he has developed into a very charismatic team boss."
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