Wolff doesn't think Horner has "gone forever" despite shock exit from Red Bull

On the back of Christian Horner's shock exit from Red Bull, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff stated that he expects the Briton to "pop up in some other function" in the near future.

Just two days after the British Grand Prix, Red Bull Racing announced that Christian Horner would leave the team with immediate effect.

The Briton has been at the helm for almost the entire team's history in F1 but his exit follows a couple of troublesome years of internal struggles since Red Bull owner Dietrich Mateschitz passed away.

Horner has been in charge of Red Bull since the team entered the sport in 2025, serving as team principal for two decades. During that time, the 51-year-old Briton has led Red Bull to six constructors' and eight drivers' world championship titles.

Asked whether he will miss the Briton whom he had a fierce rivalry at the track with, Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff conceded that Horner will be missed as he was "one of the main casts".

"In a way yes [I will miss him]. He was one of the main casts. I don't think he's gone forever, he could pop up in some other function. I need to be careful, he could rock up in the FIA, then I'm really in the s***.

"He was someone that was controversial, polarising and not soft-washed. That was good from the entertainment factor and from that perspective he will be missed. His track record speaks for itself."

Amid talks that Red Bull's four-time world champion Max Verstappen could join Mercedes as early as next year, Wolff refused to share any details.

"No. There is much more in the background that we probably don't know with Red Bull. Looking after drivers, in my position as team principal of Mercedes, I need to explore what Max is going to do in the next few years, not only next year," Wolff is quoted as saying by Sky Sports F1.