Christian Horner eyes 2026 F1 return with shock Max Verstappen reunion on the cards

Max Verstappen has been backed for a stunning reunion with former chief Christian Horner, should he decide to quit Red Bull next year. The Dutchman has pledged his loyalty to his current team for next season, but there is no guarantee he will remain beyond 2026.

His manager Raymond Vermeulen cautioned at the weekend that the four-time F1 champion won't remain a one-team driver throughout his career if their machinery isn't consistently competitive. Red Bull will need to stay in contention for race wins and possibly the title if they are to keep hold of their star man.

Verstappen has been most heavily linked with Mercedes, with team boss Toto Wolff making no attempt to hide his ambition to secure his services. The Silver Arrows will undoubtedly renew their pursuit next year if Verstappen becomes available, though they may face competition for his signature.

Former F1 driver Juan Pablo Montoya believes Aston Martin, whose ambitious billionaire owner Lawrence Stroll is known to be keen on the prospect of Verstappen driving for his squad, would be a serious option for Verstappen.

"I think next year, if Red Bull doesn't work, Max will choose between Aston Martin and Mercedes, whoever is more competitive. Realistically, I think the Aston makes a lot more sense – it is familiar territory," he told Jackpot City Casino.

Montoya reckons Verstappen isn't the only iconic Red Bull personality who could be tempted to Aston Martin down the line. Stroll has already invested heavily in Adrian Newey to create title-winning machinery for his outfit, and the Colombian believes he might also attempt to convince Horner to make the switch.

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Horner was axed as team principal and chief executive at Red Bull Racing in July, but remained on the payroll while his exit package negotiations were ongoing. The 51-year-old's departure was finally rubber-stamped this week, with a hefty £80million compensation package for the termination of his contract, which was set to run until 2030.

Importantly, it's believed his gardening leave will come to an end early next year, freeing him up to start work with another team if the opportunity arises. A role at Aston Martin could be one of his options and Montoya reckons a reunion with Newey, and possibly Verstappen, could be a roaring success.

He added: "Horner would be a really good addition to that team. The experience that Christian has managing teams, whether people like him or not or judge him, His success rate managing that Red Bull team cannot be overstated. You cannot say it was totally Adrian - you still have got to operate the team.

"There are so many more things going on you need to have a figurehead there to really shine. That is really important. I think it would be really cool if he did join. If they get the whole band together, they are going to win everything. I do believe Aston is going to be the team in two years from now that is going to be winning everything."