Christian Horner Sends McLaren ‘Self-Interest’ Warning Amid...read more

Red Bull Team Boss Warns of Tensions as F1 Title Race Heats Up

Red Bull team principal Christian Horner has issued a stark warning to McLaren as their drivers Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris continue to jostle for position in the 2025 Formula 1 World Championship.

Following Max Verstappen’s commanding win at the Emilia Romagna Grand Prix, where he outpaced both McLarens, Horner questioned McLaren’s strategy of letting their drivers freely battle in the final stages of the race. The Dutchman pulled off a daring move on pole-sitter Piastri at Turn 1, controlled the race, and kept a comfortable gap even after a late Safety Car restart.

“They did a good job to not make contact. It was commendable that they were allowed to race, but you could see it got pretty close,” Horner remarked. “At some point, self-interest will always outweigh team interest. That’s the conflict.”

With Piastri now leading the drivers’ standings by 13 points over Norris, and Verstappen closing in just 22 points behind, Horner’s comments highlight the rising tension not just between teams, but also within them.

McLaren’s strategy — particularly the choice not to impose team orders during the final laps — has drawn criticism from some quarters. 1997 world champion Jacques Villeneuve slammed the Woking outfit, saying their reluctance to swap their drivers showed a lack of conviction.

“They show weakness,” Villeneuve told Sky Sports F1. “You don’t want to give Verstappen wins. McLaren has a car capable of a 1-2 finish. Settling for second and third is not good enough.”

He also questioned their timing during pit stops and strategy decisions under the Virtual Safety Car, suggesting they missed key opportunities to challenge Verstappen more aggressively.

However, McLaren boss Andrea Stella defended the team’s approach, stating that both drivers were given equal opportunity and that the situation was handled fairly.

“We assumed if Lando had the pace to pass Max, he should also have the pace to pass Oscar,” Stella explained. “Both drivers are happy, think that was fair and that’s the way we go racing.”

As the championship battle intensifies, Horner’s warning underscores a looming dilemma for McLaren — team harmony versus title ambition.