'Major decisions' ahead for Red Bull's new F1 leader.

      "He also needs to determine which drivers he will have next year."

      Christian Horner was dismissed last week, but attention still remains focused on the former Red Bull leader and the "new chapter" at the Formula 1 team. Max Verstappen, Dr. Helmut Marko, and even Horner had acknowledged just before last week’s unexpected developments that the Dutchman would not secure a fifth consecutive drivers' title. However, Red Bull is not losing hope for 2025, as the energy drink’s sports CEO, Oliver Mintzlaff, stated following the Horner upheaval.

      "We need to change our mindset, look ahead, and unite," Bild newspaper reports him saying. "As a team, we have accomplished remarkable things and will continue to do so in the future. The world championship is still attainable."

      Team advisor Marko had deemed the title lost after the British GP, but he now asserts that Red Bull will persist this year until the championships are "mathematically" out of reach. The next two races, at Spa and Hungary, will take place back-to-back, and "we’ll have new components on the car for both weekends," Marko informed Speed Week.

      He did not mention Horner during the discussion, but he did point out that "a new chapter for Red Bull Racing and the Racing Bulls" will commence at Spa-Francorchamps. "Alan (Permane) was the obvious choice for us, as we preferred not to recruit from outside," he noted, referring to the new Racing Bulls team principal.

      "Laurent (Mekies) was also a natural fit for the new role for similar reasons—an internal solution and someone with extensive experience. Thanks to his diverse roles, including more recent work with the FIA and Ferrari, Laurent is well-equipped to guide a top team with skill."

      Following Horner's two-decade tenure, however, Mekies is confronted with a significant challenge. "As a Frenchman, he will have a tough time in Milton Keynes," commented Michael Schmidt, a respected journalist for Auto Motor und Sport.

      At the forefront of Mekies’ concerns is the Max Verstappen situation. "I’ll grant him some time, but in the upcoming weeks, we’ll see where Max heads. Then he also needs to decide on the drivers for next year. Yuki Tsunoda won’t remain under these circumstances, and he is familiar with Isack Hadjar from Racing Bulls. He would be eager to bring him to the top team.

      "But who will he pair with Isack? Laurent still has major decisions to make." Bild newspaper posits that Horner’s last misstep at Red Bull Racing was his refusal to relinquish control, even over marketing oversight at the second team Racing Bulls. It reportedly culminated in a dispute with his former strongest ally, Red Bull co-owner Chalerm Yoovidhya. The company’s higher-ups are apparently currently deliberating on how to compensate Horner for the remaining five years of his contract.

      Speculation suggests a buy-out in the range of $50-125 million. One rumor indicates that the 51-year-old could leverage the payout to gain a stake in the Alpine team. "I’m intrigued to see what Horner will agree to," noted De Telegraaf correspondent Erik van Haren. "There are rumors circulating that he wishes to acquire shares in Alpine."

      Former F1 driver Christijan Albers concurs: "We all know Horner aspired to have a stake in Red Bull, but he never received one from (Dietrich) Mateschitz. If there’s an opportunity for him now, it’s Alpine."