Horner, who guided Red Bull to 14 world championships and established the modern powerhouse from the ashes of Jaguar F1, was dismissed on the Wednesday after the British Grand Prix, ending a 20-year reign that reshaped the sport’s competitive landscape.

According to Brundle, the timing and secrecy surrounding Horner’s dismissal—and the immediate installation of Laurent Mekies as the new CEO and team principal—point to internal pressures that go beyond typical performance concerns.

Verstappen Family’s Growing Influence

Brundle is convinced that "Team Verstappen"—the close-knit circle around Max Verstappen, including his father Jos—was “pretty involved” in pushing for Horner’s departure. The tensions between Horner and the Verstappen family have been simmering for over a year, intensifying during Red Bull’s internal investigations into Horner and spilling into the public after Jos Verstappen warned that the team would "explode" if Horner remained at the helm.

As Brundle shared on Sky's 'The F1 Show,' he believes the Verstappen camp wielded significant influence: “They 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.”

Several high-profile staff departures, including Adrian Newey, Rob Marshall, and Jonathan Wheatley, further weakened Horner’s position, according to Brundle. He adds that, while Horner enjoyed the support of Red Bull co-owner Chalerm Yoovidhya, that backing appears to have receded in recent months, clearing the way for the shakeup.

A New Era and Lingering Uncertainty

Red Bull’s restructuring has left paddock insiders speculating about the next phase of the team and, crucially, whether this move cements Max Verstappen’s future amid rumors of a Mercedes exit clause.

Brundle and other F1 observers have underlined the seismic nature of Horner’s ousting—stating that even with the team still winning grands prix and taking poles, there were simply too many internal pressures for him to withstand.

As the Verstappen camp’s power seemingly grows within Red Bull, the F1 world will watch closely to see how the team navigates this next chapter—and whether Horner, one of the sport's most successful team bosses, resurfaces elsewhere in the paddock.