Red Bull boss Christian Horner conceded Max Verstappen would not win a fifth consecutive world title after a disastrous day for the team at their home track in Austria.

Horner said it was a ‘two-horse race’ between the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri who took a one-two on Sunday.

Verstappen started seventh and was taken out by Mercedes youngster Kimi Antonelli at Turn 3 of the opening lap. He lies 61 points off championship leader Piastri with 13 rounds remaining. The safety car was deployed as Verstappen complained: ‘I’m out, I got hit like crazy. F****** idiots.’

Red Bull’s second driver, Yuki Tsunoda, finished dead last — completing a chastening day for the Red Bull hierarchy.

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Christian Horner conceded that Max Verstappen would not win a fifth consecutive world title

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Horner said it was a ‘two-horse race’ between the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri

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Verstappen started in seventh place and was taken out by Kimi Antonelli on the opening lap

Horner conceded: ‘McLaren have a significant buffer. It looks like a two-horse race. We just focus on every grand prix.’

Verstappen said: ‘We do our best and my mentality doesn’t change. We have won a lot and sometimes you have to accept when you are not winning.’