Concerns about a brain drain in Milton Keynes are well-founded. Aside from Horner, Red Bull have lost Jonathan Wheatley, Rob Marshall and Adrian Newey since 2023, with the spine of the organisation that dominated the start of the ground effect era now working elsewhere.

Christian Horner may have inadvertently set up his own downfall at Red Bull as he created a “one-car team”, and then was set upon by “Team Verstappen”. That’s according to former F1 driver Karun Chandhok.