‘Now you're quiet' – Nico Rosberg in frosty exchange with Jos Verstappen over Christian Horner after Red Bull sacking
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
NICO ROSBERG and Jos Verstappen shared a frosty exchange over Christian Horner's Red Bull sacking.
Horner was axed as Red Bull team principal last week following a string of woeful results at the team.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
2
Martin Brundle, Jos Verstappen and Nico Rosberg
It also came amid rumoured friction between Horner and Max Verstappen's dad Jos.
Jos - who raced professionally from 1994-2003 - was probed about Horner's exit by Martin Brundle at the Belgian GP.
Brundle asked: "Big changes in the team. Are you and Max and everybody happy with where it's going so far?"
Jos replied: "Well, they decided to change so I'm fine with everything. So as long as it works."
READ MORE IN F1
NOT LEW-KING GOOD Lewis Hamilton slapped with 60-place penalty at F1 Belgian Grand Prix
Former F1 champion Rosberg, working for Sky Sports, awkwardly gatecrashed the interview.
And he told Jos: "Last year, you said Horner needs to go!"
Jos replied: "That was one and a half year ago. It's different. I have nothing to say. It's fine."
Rosberg then added: "Now you're quiet?"
Jos responded: "I'm always quiet."
Reigning world champ Verstappen still has three years left on his Red Bull deal but remains linked with a move to Mercedes.
Christian Horner 'in tears' during farewell speech to Red Bull employees as sacked boss admits decision came as 'shock'
But the Dutchman insisted Horner's exit will have no bearing on his future with Red Bull.
He said: "No, it doesn't really. Now, I think people can have a difference of opinion here and then.
"And I actually expect that to happen because if everyone always agrees, there is a problem. You need to have difference of opinions.
"And yeah, that's now something that we work with in a different direction. I'm excited about it.
"Like you said, I don't think it will matter at all for my decision in the future.
"And yet, the only thing that matters is that we work on the car and make it as fast as we can make it, really.
"And like I said, the last one and a half years have not been what we want to be.
"Now we try and be more competitive this year a little bit, but for sure also with the new regulations."
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Guardian
8 minutes ago
- The Guardian
‘Stop the rumours': Max Verstappen confirms he will be with Red Bull in 2026
Max Verstappen has confirmed for the first time that he will stay with Red Bull after George Russell admitted he is on the brink of a new Mercedes contract. Verstappen's break clause from his Red Bull deal can no longer be activated, after his fourth-placed finish in Belgium last Sunday ensured he will not be lower than third in the world championship at the summer break which follows this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix. Asked at the Hungaroring if he can say for certain that he will be at Red Bull in 2026, Verstappen replied: 'Yes. I never really said anything about it because I was just focused on talking to the team about improving our performance, future ideas and next year and that is why I had nothing really to add. 'But I think it is time to stop all the rumours. For me, it was always quite clear that I was staying anyway and that was the general feeling in the team because we were always in discussion about what we could do with the car and when you're not interested in staying, you stop talking about these kind of things, and I never did.' Mercedes have made little secret of their desire to sign the four-time world champion. As it stands, Russell – who despite a series of impressive performances this year - is without a deal for 2026. Speaking prior to Verstappen, Russell, who it is understood has received a contract offer from Mercedes in the past week, said: 'Conversations have started. We are now heading into the summer break. 'I have spoken a lot with [Mercedes CEO and team principal] Toto [Wolff] this week, but we have not spoken once about the contract because we are both trying to solve the performance and getting the team in the right place. And that is genuine. 'I want to go into the summer break and enjoy the only two weeks off I have in the year. I don't want to be thinking about contracts. And there isn't really a major time pressure now from my side, nor from Mercedes' side, because of the Verstappen situation and I presume he is staying at Red Bull. 'Not that I was ever concerned about that but from the team's perspective I guess that has an impact. From my side, I was never concerned I was going to lose my seat. I want to go into this weekend and try and get the team back on track and perform better than we have shown at the past six races. Then I am going to go straight on holiday for two weeks and do a week's training and I want to enjoy that to be honest.' It was then put to Russell, 27, that he will be driving for Mercedes next season, but it is now just a question of how his contract looks. He replied: 'Yes, I guess so.' Despite the continued speculation surrounding suggestions Verstappen could trade Red Bull for Mercedes, those close to the Russell camp have indicated for a number of weeks the 27-year-old is extremely confident of striking a contract extension. Russell has scored 157 points to rookie team-mate Kimi Antonelli's 63 after 13 of the 24 rounds. Mercedes are third in the constructors' standings, 296 points adrift of McLaren.
BBC News
8 minutes ago
- BBC News
Verstappen says he will race with Red Bull in 2026
Max Verstappen has ended questions about his future by saying that he will definitely stay with Red Bull for next four-time world champion is under contract to Red Bull until 2028 but had been courted by Mercedes and had been considering his said at the Hungarian Grand Prix: "I've never really said anything about it because I was just focused on talking to the team about how we can improve our performance, future ideas for next year as well. And that's why I have nothing really to add ever."But yeah, I think it's time to basically stop all the rumours. And for me, it's always been quite clear that I was staying anyway."I think that was also the general feeling in the team anyway, because we were always in discussions about what we could do with the car."And I think when you're not interested in staying, then you also stop talking about these kind of things. And I never did."Verstappen's confirmation effectively confirms George Russell and Kimi Antonelli will remain at Mercedes next who had already expected that Verstappen would be staying at Red Bull, said he was "not in a hurry" to sign a new has made it clear he wants reassurances about his position at Mercedes given what he describes as a "unique situation" at the team. Mercedes are his managers as well as his employers, which complicates the questions over negotiations regarding his contract with team principal Toto Wolff."Whenever we come to an agreement we will get it done but it has to work for both of us," Russell said."Something we need to think about. What do they want and what do I want?"We have been in a bit of a unique situation for the last few months, I don't have huge power in this agreement. And maybe interests were not aligned for the last six months."But its my job to perform and reduce that risk"I still trust Toto and the team will continue to support me, but for Kimi and me the last six months have not been the most assuring, and that is conflicting."Russell said that he never had any real doubts about his future because he was performing to a high level, but he wants to take the forthcoming three-week summer break to think more carefully about his said: "Conversations [about a new contract] have started, but we are now heading into the summer break."Toto and I have spoken a lot this week, but we haven't spoken once about the contract, because we're both trying to solve the car's performance and get the team in the right place. And that's genuine."And I personally want to go into the summer break and enjoy the only two weeks off I have in the year. I don't want to be thinking about contracts. And there isn't really a major time pressure now from my side, nor from Mercedes' side."
Glasgow Times
9 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
Max Verstappen confirms he is staying at Red Bull
Verstappen's break clause from his Red Bull deal can no longer be activated, after his fourth-placed finish in Belgium last Sunday ensured he will not be lower than third in the world championship at the summer break which follows this weekend's Hungarian Grand Prix. Asked at the Hungaroring if he can say for certain that he will be at Red Bull in 2026, Verstappen replied: 'Yes. I never really said anything about it because I was just focused on talking to the team about improving our performance, future ideas and next year and that is why I had nothing really to add. 'But I think it is time to stop all the rumours. For me, it was always quite clear that I was staying anyway and that was the general feeling in the team because we were always in discussion about what we could do with the car and when you're not interested in staying, you stop talking about these kind of things, and I never did.' Max Verstappen has ended rumours over his future (Bradley Collyer/PA) Until Thursday, Verstappen, third in the world championship and 81 points off the title pace, had been reluctant to confirm he will drive for Red Bull beyond this year despite having a contract for another three-and-a-half years. His announcement here comes 23 days after Christian Horner discovered he had been ousted as Red Bull team principal and CEO. Verstappen's father, Jos, inside the Red Bull hospitality suite on Thursday when his son ended speculation over his future for 2026, claimed at the beginning of last year Red Bull would 'explode' if Horner stayed. Verstappen added on Sky Sports: 'Some people just like to stir the pot and some people just like to create drama, but for me (the future) it has always been quite clear.' Christian Horner left his post as Red Bull team principal earlier this month (David Davies/PA) Mercedes have made little secret of their desire to sign the four-time world champion. As it stands, Russell – who despite a series of impressive performances this year – is without a deal for 2026. Speaking prior to Verstappen, Russell, who it is understood has received a contract offer from Mercedes in the past week, said: 'Conversations have started. We are now heading into the summer break. 'I have spoken a lot with (Mercedes CEO and team principal) Toto (Wolff) this week, but we have not spoken once about the contract because we are both trying to solve the performance and getting the team in the right place. And that is genuine. 'I want to go into the summer break and enjoy the only two weeks off I have in the year. I don't want to be thinking about contracts. 'And there isn't really a major time pressure now from my side, nor from Mercedes' side, because of the Verstappen situation and I presume he is staying at Red Bull. George Russell is set to sign a new deal at Mercedes (Bradley Collyer/PA) 'Not that I was ever concerned about that but from the team's perspective I guess that has an impact. 'From my side, I was never concerned I was going to lose my seat. I want to go into this weekend and try and get the team back on track and perform better than we have shown at the past six races. Then I am going to go straight on holiday for two weeks and do a week's training and I want to enjoy that to be honest.' It was then put to Russell, 27, that he will be driving for Mercedes next season, but it is now just a question of how his contract looks. He replied: 'Yes, I guess so.' Despite the continued speculation surrounding suggestions Verstappen could trade Red Bull for Mercedes, those close to the Russell camp have indicated for a number of weeks the 27-year-old is extremely confident of striking a contract extension. Russell has scored 157 points to rookie team-mate Kimi Antonelli's 63 after 13 of the 24 rounds. Mercedes are third in the constructors' standings, 296 points adrift of McLaren.
