CHRISTIAN HORNER’s exit from Red Bull Racing has been slammed as wrong by his pal Riccardo Patrese.
The six-time F1 Grand Prix winner has insisted that the former team principal is “relaxed” despite his exit.
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Horner, 51, was axed by Red Bull Racing after 20 years of service and 14 drivers’ and constructors’ titles.
He did receive a huge payout from the F1 team of £80MILLION as his contract was cut five years short.
Patrese, however, has insisted that Horner is taking his new free time in his stride.
He was the runner-up to the 1992 World Championship while racing with Williams.
He admitted he is not sure if Horner will return to the sport despite speculation he could be back on the grid in some respect.
He told Escapist Magazine: “I’m happy for him because I’m a friend of Christian.
“What happened to him last year was wrong. His private life is his private life.
“I think he was treated badly and at the end he got a lot of money.
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“Now probably, he’s having a little bit of time to relax at home. I saw him riding his horses.
“I think it’s good for him that he could have so much money and I think he’s a very capable person, that’s for sure.
“It’s up to him if he finds another F1 job, and whether he will come back or not.”
Horner’s exit came after a tricky 18 months which saw him face allegations of inappropriate behaviour.
He had denied all accusations and was cleared twice in internal investigations.
It also saw Red Bull Racing’s performances on the track start to stall.
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Horner has been linked with moves with Aston Martin, Alpine and Ferrari since his sacking.
It has been confirmed by Haas team principal Ayao Komatsu that Horner held talks about joining the team.
